Xref: utzoo comp.cog-eng:394 comp.software-eng:100 comp.edu:791
Path: utzoo!yunexus!geac!sigrid
From: sigrid@geac.UUCP (Sigrid Grimm)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng,comp.software-eng,comp.edu
Subject: Re: Offices versus Cubicles
Summary: pretend walls
Message-ID: <2150@geac.UUCP>
Date: 21 Jan 88 15:03:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: geac.2150
Posted: Thu Jan 21 10:03:41 1988
References: <2058@pdn.UUCP> <82@sickkids.UUCP>
Reply-To: sigrid@geac.UUCP (Sigrid Grimm)
Organization: The little blue rock next to that twinkly star.
Lines: 27

In article <82@sickkids.UUCP> mark@sickkids.UUCP (Mark Bartelt) writes:
>
.... stuff about how cubicles are a bummer ...
>
> ... A real office eliminates this sort of problem.  And it also gives
>you the opportunity to shut your door if you don't want to be interrupted
>by people dropping by with questions, or whatever.

I've found that a *Walkman* can really help in an office-cubicle context.
It does so by first removing the noise of conversations around you; it 
helps cut out the whine of printers and the hum of other machinery too. 
I also find that it helps to deter people from interrupting you. They can't 
just walk into your area talking as they go, inadvertantly interrupting 
you while you are in the middle of a stream of thought.

You don't have to have the thing loud or anything, you can set it to a volume
which removes surrounding noise but still allows you to hear your phone. It 
gives you an isolated feeling even when you are in the middle of a room full of 
"stalls". If you find you can't work with *music* on or if you are stuck in 
the deep city, you can get some of those *nature* tapes - y'know, birdies 
singin' and the trickle of a babbling brook, or the waves pounding the 
shoreline and the haunting cry of shithawks ...

Also highly recommended for urban transit during rush hour ...
Try it you'll like it ... :-)

Sigrid