@freakazoid Well, maybe it will be a measurable competitive advantage and spread???

My dad worked for a Japanese firm for a while and was originally horrified by the completely open office. But the local manners were completely respectful of concentration -- if a coworker was sitting quietly with closed eyes, he says, you didn't interrupt because it was taken as a sign of deep concentration.

@clew If it spreads I suspect it will spread outside Silicon Valley due to the tremendous cost of real estate here. And it's not just the dollar cost; local governments here are actively hostile to development. So for example Google would have no hope of doing it. A startup could depending on how it was funded and what its funders demand/allow.

My guess is that in the early stages open plan offices are probably an advantage. I think it falls into the same category as inclusion.

@clew It could be a good way to attract people away from Silicon Valley. Folks are leaving in droves, but unless I'm mistaken that's primarily being driven by stuff like traffic and the cost of living relative to pay, not by working conditions.