[j_baker]

I think there's more to the open office epidemic than mere cost. Facebook is pouring tons of money into the largest open office in the world. Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg wrote in "How Google Works" that offices should be (and I wish I were making this up) "crowded, messy, and a petri dish for creativity".

I think many companies use open office formats out of principle. Misguided principles, but principles nonetheless.

[sukilot]

Note that Schmidt and Rosenberg never worked in open offices -- they just decided they liked the idea after they bubbled off the top of the company and stopped doing any sort of desk job.