[jim_h]

I agree. Even with my nice sound isolating earbuds (Shure), it doesn't block out all the external sounds unless I set the volume higher than I would like.

While playing music on headphones can help block out conversations, it is still a distraction. It's just not as annoying as hearing other people talk.

[hartez]

And they've never invented (to my knowledge) smell-canceling headphones.

I've worked in places where it was an issue. And it's a very difficult one to address. "Please be quieter" is much more socially acceptable than "Please use deodorant".

[dsr_]

There are two ways to handle this reasonably gracefully, and a lot of ways that suck.

1. In private, tell the person "I don't think your deodorant is working well enough. Just thought you ought to know."

2. Go to their manager, and have the manager say pretty much the same thing, not mentioning that anyone but the manager noticed anything.

Almost anything else comes off as boorish.

[yxhuvud]

If smell is a problem then you are sitting way too tight.

An open room needs plenty of space.