

Minimum Startup Overhead: Coffee Shop Programmer - mudge
http://nickmudge.info/?post=73

======
waleedka
I'm a coffee shop programmer as well. Not always, but whenever I want to avoid
the potential distractions in my apartment (tv, xbox, bed) I take my laptop
and work from a coffee shop for the day. It's also a nice change of scenery.

The freedom to be able to work from anywhere is one of the greatest things
about this arrangement. Sometimes I travel to visit friends and family, and
that doesn't stop me from doing my work because all I need is my laptop.

~~~
falsestprophet
How does the coffee shop feel about having people work at their tables all
day? I have considered doing this, but I can't quite figure out the etiquette.

~~~
mudge
It's better to go to two or three or more coffee shops in a day. Rotate. Buy
stuff.

------
mechanical_fish
I have three words for you, my friend: "electric space heaters". :)

I won't dwell on the fact that laptops are ergonomically evil and will
eventually send you to the doctor with one form of RSI or another. If you
don't already understand this, it will be very hard to convince you.

Instead I'll point out that your productivity is proportional to how much
monitor you've got. Researchers have measured this [1][2], hackers [3] and
techies [4] have testified to this, and Apple has sold a lot of incredibly
expensive 30-inch displays because of this. Why are you killing your own
productivity in order to save the cost of running an electric space heater? Is
it the coffee? Don't get hooked on the coffee!

[1] <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/screen_resolution.html>

[2] <http://research.microsoft.com/displayArticle.aspx?id=433>

[3] <http://jeremy.zawodny.com/blog/archives/005541.html>

[4] [http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/05/31/dual-monitor-display-
inc...](http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/05/31/dual-monitor-display-increases-
productivity/)

~~~
sonink
Second the fact on laptops - they are indeed ergonomically evil, unless you
have a laptop stand with an external keyboard ...but then you might be on a
"web 2.0 three month mashup" - in which case it is probably ok , anything
longer and youll screw up either your wrists or your neck if not both. If you
want to have good food too consider moving your startup to india - it costs
around 60$/mnth for your own personal cook.

~~~
Goladus
When I'm moving around I often use a backpack to carry my laptop (I don't know
how much of a threat this really is, but if I were going to mug someone I'd be
more likely to go after the guy carrying case that almost certainly has a
laptop in it, vs. a guy carrying a beat-up old bag that might just be full of
dirty clothes.)

So I often throw in a keyboard and mouse. The microsoft 'comfort curve' is
particularly well-suited for this, though it is a bit long.

------
jamiepitts
I've done development at various local libraries and I would definitely
recommend this over coffee shops. There are more wireless restrictions at
libraries but the quiet, privacy, and space to work more than makes up for it.

------
mynameishere
I've told people about the coffee shop office idea, and no one's really come
up with good objections. Just mix it with this and you're all set:

<http://www.theonion.com/content/node/32374>

~~~
inklesspen
It worked for Hiro Protagonist.

------
DarrenStuart
great read, I think the biggest problem is toilet breaks, at home you don't
need to take your laptop with you :p And if you do I don't want to know about
it...

~~~
icky
A good laptop case + sleep mode helps. (I have working sleep mode even in
Linux...)

Or you can just have a cofounder there to watch your stuff ;-) (See, THIS is
why startups need cofounders... :)

