[RESOLVED] Working Conditions

[TopRelaxer97]

I currently work for Verizon as a contract employee. I work in an office with that cancer causing, mind numbing, eye poping fluorescent light. I sit in a cubicle the size of my bathroom and do nothing all day. I am straped to my "work space" by a head set that acts more as a leash. I sit here all day listening to people complain about their cable modems and how they are only getting 700k download.(as if that is slow)Anyhow, I was wondering what type of working conditions others have. All there any techs that have large offices with big windows? :mad:

[Skatman]

I am straped with a leash too, grey cubicle walls make it very depressing here, also the people near me persist on leaving the windows open, which i hate because it causes a bad glare and blinding light, but atleast there are plenty of hot babes that work here hehe

[Elbatcho]

The worst condition I have ever been in was when I was stationed in Norway, I spent 4 weeks in a tent in -20 degree weather. Now that sucked, everything else is a cake walk.

[King Grover]

In the winter i make snow at a local ski resort. Nothing says winter fun better than playing with water when it's 10 below zero and a 30mph wind. clothes get kinda of crunch after a while and you have to go indoors to melt them off.

[CJK]

My office used to be in the boiler room...no joke, and I was the Network Engineer of the company and no joke again everyone wanted my office space. That shows you how sad the last company I worked for was. No I'm in a grey cubicle...in my opinion not much better.

[TheoneDKS]

I get a corner in the back of the production floor, gray cubicle walls,white concreate back wall, hear all the equipment (safty coordinator says 7 more db and Ill have to start wearing ear plugs all day long)
one outlet, bad lights, broken office chair, in the winter and shiping opens a door I freeze, but it is mine all mine, it has to be very important for some one to walk all the way back here.

Hey, you asked.

[TopRelaxer97]

Originally posted by Skatman:
I am straped with a leash too, grey cubicle walls make it very depressing here, also the people near me persist on leaving the windows open, which i hate because it causes a bad glare and blinding light, but atleast there are plenty of hot babes that work here hehe

You lucky man. There are only a a handful of hot babes here. I can count all of them on two hands. I wish I woked where you do. I have to go out of my way to see those hot ladies!!(which I do without any complaints) :D

[Wayward Clam]

TopRelaxer, how is it possible to UNDER estimate a user's intelligence?

[TheLow1]

Originally posted by CJK:
My office used to be in the boiler room...no joke, and I was the Network Engineer of the company and no joke again everyone wanted my office space. That shows you how sad the last company I worked for was. No I'm in a grey cubicle...in my opinion not much better.

THAT WAS YOU????? I saw your movie (office space) I loved it, I didn't know it was a true story. WOW

[PuterGeekGirl]

I actually have the cubicle with the gray depressing walls...never there thought, I prefer to hang out at my bench in the datacenter...only about 20ish people in the company can get back here. No one knows the phone number (big plus), there are no windows at ALL and due to the cooling system there is ALOT of backround noise, but I have gotten used to it. Brought my cd player/radio back here and call it home! :p

[Kymera]

Well, I have a small office with walls that are see through and no door. WTF is that about? I would rather be in a cubicle at least people can't see you all the time.

[SubZero]

I have an open walled cubicle. 8 feet away is the oldest copier i've ever seen. Between them and the sales dept (no wall dividing the departments), I can't hear my mp3's or my phone. Then I decide to retreat to my hiding place - the comptuer room. Only 6 people have access. A tornado could be going down the street, and I wouldn't even know. Can't hear the intercom, nothing at all once we turn on the stereo in there.

[TopRelaxer97]

Originally posted by window_washer:
TopRelaxer, how is it possible to UNDER estimate a user's intelligence?


Window_Washer

That's over estimate thier intelligence. Trust me I have before and found most users know nothing, but act as if they know everything.

[Wayward Clam]

You're misunderstanding me. I would say that most users are morons but I would be insulting the morons.

[LPetrarca]

Wow you guys! I feel priveleged!

Got my own 9x12 office with a door that not only closes, but locks too! No windows though, but we do have AC in the summer and heat in the winter! One major drawback though is that it's located along a main corridor. I'm constantly being interrupted by people as they pass by.

I've managed to turn it into a pretty good repair center though. Got a small spare parts inventory (HD's, NIC's, etc...)

[TopRelaxer97]

Originally posted by window_washer:
You're misunderstanding me. I would say that most users are morons but I would be insulting the morons.

Window_Washer, so true, let's not insult the morons.

[DJMyst]

Guess I'm fairly lucky. I gotta leash but it's one of the cool ones that only go on one ear and not over ya head. Only a 2 walled cubicle in a heat/AC office with lots of nice women walking around. Sit here and cut up and tell jokes all day and get paid for it. And believe or not 98% of the people I work with are actually fun to work with. It's only a help desk job but the money's good and the environment is awesome so I'm stayin. :cool: :p

[http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum1/noncgi]

I'm stuck in one of those ugly gray cubes as well, so I've decorated mine with artwork, books, stuffed animals, comic strips etc. I was lucky and got (almost) first choice of cubes, so I grabbed one of two cubicles that are cut off from the rest of the row by support pillars. That means no one can pass by directly in front of the cube. :) I've begun to infect the person in the cube opposite me, he's started putting up photographs and comic strips, and his cube is starting to look like mine. :)

[KoWind7]

You guys are lucky. I'd love to have a cubicle. All I have right now is a workbench and a chair. We have a huge window wall, and people just stand there and watch us all day. Makes me feel like I'm in a fishbowl.

[3fingersalute]

I have my own room with my own bench...the room is small (about 6x8)...but it's all mine!!!!

[SNAFU]

I share an office with a net tech. He has a desk and I have one. We've fondly called it the "Cable Cave"...'nuff said. But I also have a workbench in another room. I like it. I can hide from people in anyone of those places. Its the cell phone I can't hide from!!!

[CobraTekMax]

I've got an office with lots of windows. I stare out the windows most of the day, and whistle at all the women that walk by on the street.

There's a computer in there that I'm supposed to use for work and stuff, but I brought my TNT2m64 in, and now I play Black & White on it most days.

There's also a deck of cards and some pencils, and a paper shredder too. It's fun to stick pencils in a paper shredder. Oh, and there's a phone and an intercom, but the noise they make irritates me, so I unpluged them so I could plug my CD player and my hotplate in.

[d0cman]

5x5x5 Cube ... Easy to do the Prairie Dog when you hear another tech punch the mute button and lose it. It's near the window and is turned away from the rest of the office so I can pretty much surf as I please.

I have a leash, but I've modified it to 100' long so I can pace about and built in a reliable mute switch into it. I got a dispensation to extend the cord otherwise I get fidgity at my desk and start popping bubble wrap or clicking bottle tops. That just drives my neighbour sooo nuts that he starts to throw stuff at me and loses track of what he's saying to the user. Once the user accused him of not paying attention to his needs :D :D

[LongAgo]

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, at least I think so. I work in a gray cubicle, but it has an AM/FM radio, windows (2 of which open), a beautiful changing view which can range from desert to pine forested mountains. It also has A/C, heat, cruise control, AM/FM (no CD Player darnit). Yup, its my service truck.

I've been stuck in a small cubicle inside an office before, you can have it. Sure, I spend a lot of time on the road, but I'm out and about. I deal with irate customers, but watching the scenery pass by sure soothes worn, angry nerves.

The only time it sucks is when there is ice or snow on the road. :cool:

[Ebra]

I have an office but I only get to see it in the mornings when I come in to get my list of service calls and then im gone and don't see it till the end of the day

[jeffbrown]

I used to work in a poor office, now tHEy just remodeled new offices for our department, pretty sweet!

[geeksRus]

well...lets see...the roof leaks in the back where the bench is and the rain runs down the wall and the paneling is really wavy. today a rat was trying to get in my trash can in my cube...sucker was really fat. no one has cleened the bathroom in 2 years...i'm afraid to touch anything in there...guess i am gonna have to cleen it before the EPA declares it a Superfund site...phone system is flaky...the building is between other tall buildings so no radio reception...boss sometimes listens to easy listening...no view...cold in winter...hot in summer...yeh, its a joy.

[YokiPoki]

5x6 cube with 3 PC's, 1 BIG A$$ compaq server, 2 monitors, a switch, a KVM switch, a laptop, radio reception that sucks beyond sucking, garbage can and no leg room (I'm 6'04") And to top it off I sit back to the window. AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

[lysergic]

Around a 15x25 office with tv/vcr, stero, 3 systems, a futon and an oriental rug on hard wood floors. Bed in the next room and then a kitchen and bathroom a litte further down the hall. Plenty of windows too. And the comute to work is cake. I wake up and walk to the next room and start to work....

Although does suck when I actually have to go outside and then drive somewhere to fix a contractors computer or do something with the servers onsite instead of coding all day...

[ilovetheusers]

Grey cubicle walls. Easily watched by the boss. Taint that bad. Kinda like the place.

[format c:]

Well my office is about 3 by 5, door opens inwards , Has windows all around, two of them open, White walls, Located in an underground parkade, I am over 6 feet tall and it is a squeexe getting in and out, Minamal leg room but the radio reception is good , I meet lots of people
My home office computer room is about 10 x 12, 3.9 systems KVM switch, main desk, test bench, back up system , Tons of spare parts, Base ment window :cool: :cool:

[Spaceman Spiff]

Gee, I work out of my house. My office has a huge desk and credenza, and I've even installed a lighted bar behind my bookcase...for emergencies, of course... :D

[blinddonkey]

I worked in a large cubicle in a room with a nice view through the great big window. there was a little glare. i sat in my chair most of the day, and drank all of the free pop i could handle. i slept in my chair for about an hour or 2 a day, and they never really had much work for me.

[Bigdog632]

I live in the world of grey cubicles too
my work area resembles WWI trenches except for the cow spotted walls
and the stupid cafeteria hours dont work into my jobs timeframe

[talltech]

Complete workshop pretty much to myself, gas heating, bit warm in summer. windows that work, tons of parts, lots of bench space, cheerfully decorated with odd n ends laying around. Along with three computers


null

[antonye]

I work in a large open plan office with the table in "stars" of four. One is empty and the other two are hot-desks for laptops, so it's dead quiet.

Nice furniture, good atmosphere, no strip lights and the air conditioning works! Even my monitor faces away from everyone else so surfing for pr0n isn't too bad :)

[TeddyRuxspin]

I thought i had it average till I read about some of you guys!! I share an office with 3 other support bods. It is about 40ft long and 15ft wide. My desk sits right at the back so no one can see my screen. we have no windows to the outside world (only to the hanger next to me and 3 skylights) but we do have 2x air con units and radiators.
I also have a 15x15ft workshop and a large server room. If you exclude the lack of decent windows I do actually have it pretty good. I get ot listen to my MP3's in the workshop and at my desk. Our doors even have punch codes so user cant disturb us. They go to the main helpdeks up the corridor :)

[bfrau]

I share an office with our other IT guy. Our whole building is pretty cool. We made an office out of two old homes from the early 1900's. They're both three stories, and there's a glass atrium that joins them. We even have a fireplace in our office. Don't know if it works or not though. Too much junk piled around it.

[Kenny P.]

I am leached by a alpha-numeric pager and a walkie talkie.

We have no windows in our office. But I have keys to every electrical closet on campus (a small university in SE WI). We have a .25 pop machine, 2 fridges, microwave, and a toaster that will burn asbestos.

My desk is small, I have a P120 for a computer but get to play with ultra new technology.

Things would be a bit better with a window...

Ken

[neilg]

My last job rocked! I was a contractor with 4 other techs inside a locked room. We all had our own PC's and only other person besides us who has access was our company manager. The IT manager for the company that we supported did not even have a key, everyone had to knock!

It was nice being able to play games or look at some video's knowing nobody can sneak up on you..

[crackbeer]

I am surrounded by cube walls in a particularly drool-inducing shade of green. The tile floor beneath me used to be white, now is a distubing mess of water and rust stains.

There are windows in the dept. but the shades are always drawn because I think people are afraid of Mr. Sun. The guy in the cube behind me listens to talk radio all day, usually a couple women jabbering on about the trials of raising children and keeping a home in order. I have no idea why this guy listens to that crap.

People eat noisily at their desks, then complain when (*gasp*) they come into work to find mouse turds on their desks. Ants are also quite popular. There's a women who runs around with a can of raid killing ants and poisoning everyone else. Mmmmmm, nothing like the smell of morning coffee and lung choking pesticide!

[tech_wannabe]

Well, I guess I am just lucky. My office used to be a conference room (10'x16'). Even better it is in the back of the admin area, at the end of a dead end hall. The only down side is the 3 servers and 2 desk tops that keep the temp in my office above 70 degrees in the dead of winter and substantially hotter the rest of the year.

[VPiracy]

I can't complain about my job, I get to come in late as long as I come in, I get free lunch, I get to go to the bars with my boss, he hooks me up with free software, hooks me up with free stereo installations on my truck when he gets his stereo in his car installed, I get a free pass to the YMCA, I get dental service, I get health insurance, I can honestly tell him that his ideas are F@#*ing stupid and not worry about him being mad, I can surf the net on occassion as long as I don't do it too much while on the clock, and i get free donuts. Heh I'd have to say I'm damn near royalty. Now all I need to do is get more cash but then again I need to learn more before I can do that.

[eenge99]

Nice office with wood paneling, window that opens, laser printer, in a portable a good distance from main building. Only drawback is that my office is also the wiring closet! :rolleyes:
Other than that, I love it! Hardly anyone bothers me and I can close the door if I wan't to nap. ;)

[GOVTECH]

Well from listing to some of these stories I must be lucky!! I have my own office (10 x 12) with locking door, large window (that can open), A/C in summer- heat in winter, company car to go from building to building ( we aren't lazy, just have 20 acres of buildings). I guess we have it pretty good. Well we do have one big draw back... We have to dumbest users ever put on the face of the earth!! We are expected to teach people who can barely read to use a PCs. But then again I guess we all have those types of users we support. Job security forever...

[WindBlowzXP Professional]

I work on a bank. seems the work place is good, complete materials, food, drink, and beautiful ladies! whoohooo!!!
TECH POWER!!! :D

[Foehammer]

My area is nice, although a little too bright. I generally prefer to work with the lights off, while everyone else doesn't. :rolleyes: Of course, I work for a proactive and progressive company that constantly strives to provide a better work environment for their employees, which includes among other things, fully stocked coolers of pop, juices, and bottled water daily as well as all the ice cream bars I can eat! :)

[LPetrarca]

Originally posted by GOVTECH:
......We have to dumbest users ever put on the face of the earth!! We are expected to teach people who can barely read to use a PCs.

You've got users who can read? You lucky dog!

[Cable Modem Tech]

lets see, home office. 2 windows blinds are always shut, 3 systems and a test bench bed is upstairs, stereo 5.1 system tv playstation ( makes formats more interesting) parts shelf phone and the normal stuff.... Work office i only get to about 2 times per week but it is pretty cool 25by 20 huge brand new desk new dell 933 system 20 foot bench phones and the norm.... nice place but im glad im not trapped there all day long, mostly my office is my car..

[derekb]

Right now I am looking out my window, I have a cube on the first floor of my building. My building is a pyramid. Its kind of cool working at a pharmaceutical company. :)

[jbar1]

Wow I have a 12' x 6' window opening on the street. Can watch the river and local bait shop. Get to see who is weighing in what. Can check out the local bar across the street and see who is coming going and maybe if they are buying. Another bar / restraunt next door has great take out snacks. Deep fried Calimari, deep fried mushrooms and asperagus and cant forget the huge deep fried onion rings and zucinni. We have satillite TV lots of room and no leashes. Oh by the way I do have a work bench about 12' long and on occasion I do use it. After reading the posts here, I feel like I am in a Kings Mansion. AH it is great to be independent. ;) :) :p :cool:

[LagMonster]

Standard CUBE..no windows.

[dwaynefergusson]

Good god people...listen to this one...

As it stands, I live in Canada...its cold enough as it is.

I work for a prominent engineering consulting firm in Vancouver. I am on a project now and you wanna know what my office is? Well...im in a server room with 43 different servers...all running... does anyone have an estimate on HOW F$#@ING COLD IT CAN GET?

I can sit here and masturbate...even before my glory hits the floor, its ice...

Honestly...I have access to most policing systems, ie. rcmp, calgary, vancouver, winnepig, toronto and montreal law enforement systems. I have a stereo, digital tv (flat screen), my slowest computer is a Intel PIII 966MHz, 1 gig or RAM.

I guess im content, but I WANT SOME WOMEN...HERE....ALL TO MYSELF...WELL, WILL SHARE ONLY WITH OTHER WOMEN...

YOU KNOW WHAT??? THIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR LOCKED UP ALL DAY WORKING ON COMPUTERS AND NETWORKS. OH YA, JUST A HINT OF ADVICE TO ANYONE WHO SITS AT A BENCH ALL THE TIME...DONT LICK THE BIG CAPACITOR...
top that one...

[Elbatcho]

Originally posted by God Hates Me just like your wife:
Good god people...listen to this one...

As it stands, I live in Canada...its cold enough as it is.

I work for a prominent engineering consulting firm in Vancouver. I am on a project now and you wanna know what my office is? Well...im in a server room with 43 different servers...all running... does anyone have an estimate on HOW Cold it can get

most likly between 63 to 73 degree's. I work in a server room too and I freeze my frail body every day. It sucks, but here's a tip, walk round the other side of the servers and use the fan's to warm you up. The air comming out is about 75 to 85 degrees.

[dwaynefergusson]

I cant do that...all the servers are in the middle with the backs facing each other...yah, i know...what a stupid *** way to set up a server room...i guess i could stand in water and start chewing at all the fiber runs from Telus?

[jmani]

Well I guess i am lucky...I have a fair sized office, with windows and everything. It is also in a cool octagonal shape. the only downside is i have to go down a flight of stairs to get to the srever room, and up a flight of stairs to get to the comm room.

[migel628]

I work in a van down by the river...Wait a minute, that's where I live. Sorry :)

[macg]

Originally posted by Elbatcho:
The worst condition I have ever been in was when I was stationed in Norway, I spent 4 weeks in a tent in -20 degree weather. Now that sucked, everything else is a cake walk.

I have to agree...wasnt in Norway...spent 7 months in a tent in Saudi Arabia (you know..the war)...but I agree...the rest is a cake walk. My office is a pickup though...not bad in itself...

:cool:

[tablesalt]

I'm not to bad off, grey cubicle (has to be some sort of monopoly there). It's 8x8 which I can tolerate, not really near the windows but also not near a main corridor, you have to kind of search to find me. :) Cube has 3 PC's, a docking station, a 21" and 19" monitor, KVM switch a phone which is almost never used (thats what email is for). Most of my time however is spent in a test lab with 3 server racks lined with Proliants and 4 machines setup to play Need For Speed High Stakes on a isolated network! Now that is fun stuff! :)


Also quite the assortment of 20 something women who are almost all absolutely amazing. We have some great telesales reps!

[3fingersalute]

I don't have a workspace at home, I'm pretty sure that's why its called a workspace!!!!!

[sdrawkcab]

I had no idea there were so many "gray-cube" people here... I have 3 rooms, heat, A/C, a large workbench around all 3 rooms (we knocked all the walls out), 3 radios all tuned to the same station for ultimate "surround sound 6.3" and a TV for sporting events (NCAAs, Super Bowl, World Series...).

The hours are horrible (anywhere from 6 AM to midnight, average 10 hours a day) but there are only 3 people that work here (the owner, me, and the salesman) and we all get along. Free lunch almost daily. Now I have to work on getting some insurance and benefits...

[^Natas^]

I have worked in several small places...my Favorite is the one shop that had a tech room that was a 8x10 room with no windows, one flouresant light, two outlets, and I had to share it with 2 other guys and had to share it with the main server. let just say shelves to the ceiling... and here is the kicker! There was no A/C and the people downstairs had control of the heat and it had 3 doors that opened, so it was always cranked and got upto 35 celcuis on a slightly warm day! WORST WHEN IT WAS WARMER OUT! Now that was working conditions! :(

[Cave_Dweller]

The closet I work out of is nothing to write home about, but the people I work with are great. I don't have to watch my back anymore, and I wouldn't trade that for any creature comforts. :)

[KINGofBLEH]

I work in an office with about an inch of dust on the floor and every work surface. I think they have stopped changing the filters in the AC. Also we are going through a major reconstruction in the building and I am being kicked out of my cubicle to a single desk. I have three PCs and a laptop. This means I will be sitting on my machinery. I am so ticked because one of my teammates (equal to my level) is getting a nice high-wall office cubicle with window view. Life is totally unfair.

[ShadowDragon]

Been some strange places and had some good and some bad /homes/. Yet the one I think the most fun is the contract work I do now. Good money but I've changed my office 3 times in as many days..

office AKA cubical.. AKA seat next to window on table. AKA 1/4 of a cubical. :)
:eek:

[crussford]

Gray Cube again. Coffee maker,Food storage and Microwave. Semi-secluded.Voice mail always.

[Pogi]

I'm most of the time in a room with 2 AS/400's, a huge whompin' UPS, a print server, 5 workstations and 3 printers. The door has a lock on it, so I don't have it too bad.

[WebHead]

I have a huge office, no windows, and nobody to tell me what to do. I have nothing to do all day, so I just browse the net, play games, and just generally pass the time. And I get paid for it!!! Of course once in awhile I have to go fix someone's printer or reboot a machine or something (because it would be sooooo difficult for the user to do it themselves.)