[pivo]

"Research shows it's pretty hard to be creative in a quiet space."

I'm sure that research is accurate for some people, but it's definitely not accurate for me. Quiet, aside from any noise I make myself, is the only way I can be truly productive.

[blindhippo]

Ditto, although it depends entirely on my mood, environment and what I'm trying to do.

But for working in an open office that fluctuates from high activity to periods where you can hear a pin drop, I'm finding this type of thing to be incredibly focussing when trying to code. For actually planning that code (the creative part), I tend to find as quiet an environment as possible - people are disruptive to intense thought.

[jasonkostempski]

I make gross noises, which is exactly why I like background noise.