The most efficient lifestyle for a programmer would be to group him together with a bunch of other co-operating programmers.
Ten or twenty programmers (or 100) gather their funds together and decide to purchase an entire building (small condo, apartment, etc). Each programmer instead of paying for a house, share's one large networked building with other programmers. The programmers live happily, because they own the building and the intranet within the building. For example, the programmers would have access to an internal intranet within the building, but also the external internet too.
When real world problems exist that can't be solved through e-mail, the elevator or staircase is just a few steps away. Other programmers are in the building if you ever need to see a real world error appear on a real computer screen. If it just can't be described over email, it's sometimes better to just see it in real life. It's sometimes better just to step on the elevator and visit your friend programmer Jim or Bob, and show him in person what you mean.
Another advantage of Army Of Programmers In a Building is that costs of living become ten times more efficient. Since the army of programmers live in the same building and own the same building, everyone pays fair fees. No overcharges or high costs that a landlord would charge you, if we own the building ourselves! The programmers own the building for enjoyment, not for profits. Not to mention heating/cooling of the building is all combined, so programmers are saving on electricity costs due to bulk savings and efficiency.
If one programmer leaves or changes direction in life, there is still a full army of programmers that exist.. just one gone. The army expands and gather's new programmers with time too.
Programmers don't have to be using the same language obviously, but it may be good for at least some common subject to exist among the programmers who group together. In fact if you consider regular style of living, people rarely have common interests in the same building. Is this proper? No.. that's why costs are so high. Everyone is out to profit and pack anyone in possible, instead of strategically thinking about quality of life, friendship, and knowledge.
For example: a bunch of web programmers or Linux hackers may not use the same programming languages or exact environments, but they do have very similar interests already. Usually these people can find other common interests in life other than programming too.
Spare hardware and cables are just a doorstep, elevator, or staircase away. Some programmers have so many parts laying around with they don't need, that another programmer needs.
The phone can be setup up inside the building to the way the programmers wish. The intranet within the building is configured by the programmers. There is no landlord to worry about. The programmers are the landlords.
Bulk internet connections can be shared in the building, instead of each programmer paying a single hefty fee for himself. Possibly a T1 connection may be purchased and spread about across the programmers. Web servers may run from the building if enough programmers are pitching in dollars for a connection.
Other methods:
Expanding later on: rather than a single building, the army of programmers might wish to purchase an entire street, or several buildings, or condominiums. But for starters, it would obviously be easier to purchase a small condominium or apartment building. Then expand later, if required.
Office/home combination buildings could also work.
A common garage building could be purchased/built/thought out for users to work on vehicles. Free parking could be arranged, underground, sheltered, or outdoors.
Parcels being sent to the building would be less of an issue too. The address of the parcel could be sent to the building's shipping/receiving room if the carrier did not deliver items to apartment rooms. The front desk of the building would be run by the friendly programmers, not the landlord who doesn't have time for picking up your parcels. UPS/FEDEX do not deliver to apartment boxes or apartment roms, but in an ARMY OF PROGRAMMERS building we'd have a special RECEIVING/SHIPPING room dedicated for mail orders... that Fedex and UPS would just love.
In summary, the advantages are endless.
Dear programmers and web designers:
Please consider this idea and let me know of your thoughts. I'm considering at some point in my life trying to make this fantasy a reality. It is not way out of line or impossible.
Did you know that some environmental people in Canada have purchased an island dedicated just for environmentally friendly houses? So there is nothing stopping an Army Of Programmers from purchasing our own building, if someone else has organized a purchase of an entire island!
I wouldn't go as far as purchasing our own Island.. just our own building. Sure if it was really successful we could purchase our own island with an incoming T1 connection, but let's be realistic - the first step is a building.
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