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Comment by camelNotation | Hacker News Reader

I think WFH is a great idea, but until we can do multi-user video conferencing over the average home internet connection, it just isn't going to be as good as in-person interactions. However, once we can reliably see one another's faces in HD and share screens at the same time, it might even be superior to sitting next to someone and having them try to look over your shoulder as you show them something or ask a question. WFH is all about communication tech. If it's high grade, WFH works. If it's low grade, it doesn't.

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I really, really, don't want to be in some kind of panopticon video conferencing situation all day long. Half of the appeal of working from home is that you get to go off in your cave and actually do some deep work for a few hours at a time, without somebody poking at you or shouting in your ear every ten minutes.

In general, it appears to me that most businesses are wildly disorganized, and don't bother to plan anything more than about four hours in advance. Thus you have all of this unrelenting communication going round and round in circles, with priorities and goals constantly in flux, and nobody knowing what the hell is going on long term.

The most productive stretch of my career, I went into the office on Monday, did staff meetings, planned out work for the rest of the week, and caught up on any office politics and other such that needed to happen, then I worked from home the rest of the week. I've never gotten so much done since, nor been happier about it.

Purely opinion, but I can't help that feel the majority of that argument comes from the very human desire to want to talk to people.

I prefer going into an office purely because it lets me be social and I enjoy the technical and non-technical discussions. I am way more productive from home, and I don't think in face technical discussions really solve that many problems that can't be solved over the phone or over chat.

I currently work a bit of both, when I need to get something done I do it from home, when I want to feel part of a happy go lucky team working in the city and have lunch at the CBD markets, I go into the office.

I can't help but extrapolate that to business owners as well, and I know that if I owned a business with enough margin to do it, I'd probably have a swanky office space just for the experience of it all.

"average home internet connection" is varied factor. Were I live there's no problem with HD streaming, but working from home is still an exception not the rule.

The fact that it is a varied factor is exactly the issue I'm point out. It needs to no longer be varied.

Honestly, I prefer to screen share even in the same office over having to round up chairs and what not. It's almost like working from home now.

Same here. I really don't like people leering over my shoulder, and vice-versa. Additionally, I talk to people over the phone more than in person. My office isn't an open floor plan (thankfully). There's lots of rooms, and we're spread out. So, it's easier to ring someone up.

Also, any user issues that I need to investigate are done with Team Viewer. So, even though I'm in the office, most things are done remotely.

Doesn't Google Hangouts let you do this? Is the average home connection not good enough for hangouts?

Our experience with a Google Meet (formerly Hangouts) is that it is almost always good but during any given 30 minute meeting the audio will drop out for one person at least once. It breaks up the flow for sure but isn't a deal breaker.

Just today we tried slack for video and screen share (I can only view in chrome on Linux, but that was enough for today). Slack was stable, clear, didn't drop and didn't heat up computers like Hangouts. Our two failed attempts on hangouts were right before trying slack.

We have on our list to request early access to Hangout Meet (if that is the right name).

We have a remote team, all with average home connections. The ironic part is when we try to have a meeting with the office and their network is the issue and all of us at home are still on the call and seeing clearly seeing each other.

Screen sharing is an important feature, but is video conferencing really necessary or even something most people want? I WFH, and my team has bi-weekly meetings, but we don't do video conferencing. I quite prefer phone calls to video personally.

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