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We like to celebrate significant IT birthdays and anniversaries around here, so let’s toast the belated anniversary of Cubicle and Office - 40 years in July. Theirs is a real American love story. Rising from humble beginnings, Office became rich and successful in the 1880’s. Believing that marriage could bring him more wealth, he courted Row of Desks throughout the first half of the 20th century. Office loved how she created a factory-like environment without concern for the personal privacy of thousands of workers.

Row of Desks had a flair for public displays of productivity.

Then, in late 1968, with a ring in his pocket and his proposal ready to Fax, Office spotted the girl who stole his heart - Cubicle. Tall, skinny, and oh so modular, “Cubie” could divide a room just by moving one of her portable stanchions. Office workers in search of privacy, ogled her partition walls. They loved how she moved her storage to all the right places. While Cubicle wowed workers with her promise of flexibility and solitude, Office fell in love with her sinister personality. One day, Office noticed the bullpen where Cubicle had squeezed in more workers per square foot. She made him feel like a skyscraper again! 2 days later Office and Cubicle were wed.
 

Cubicle in her early years, before cynicism and Dilbert took their toll.

40 Years of Happiness and Heartache

Since then, our happy couple have had their ups and downs. Cubicle admits that Office has always had an eye for the younger girls. Take their 1993 estrangement as reported in Fortune Magazine:

…when Jay Chiat, chairman of ad agency Chiat/Day, declared a sort of Bolshevik revolution when he moved his employees into newly renovated space in Venice, Calif…No one had a fixed place to work. Employees were expected to park their belongings in lockers and check out laptops every morning as if renting a movie at Blockbuster. It quickly sparked a counter-rebellion–many employees simply stopped coming to the office, preferring to work at home. After the firm was acquired by an advertising conglomerate, employees got workspaces again. 

Cubicle always kept her cool though. From decorating contests to wholesale facelifts, she stayed up to date with the latest design trends to keep Office’s eye on the ball. In fact, Cubicle is more concerned for Office’s health as he advances in years. She said, “Office has has taken a beating by high gas prices and that young buck, Home Office.”

The New Guy

It’s unfortunate that many IT workers won’t be coming to the anniversary party because they’ll be whooping it up with “Homey” and his girls from the chic Euro-neighborhood of IKEA.  Hanging out with Office and Cubicle has become far less desireable since Vika, Helmer, Effecktiv have made IT employees everywhere feel all organized and stylish.

Home Office shows off his style. Photo courtesy of Paperseed

If it keeps up at this pace, our happy couple may not make it to their 50th anniversary. On the other hand, we all know that Home Office has a dastardly effect on worker hygiene and attire. Perhaps we’ll see the golden anniversary of Cubicle and Office after all.

More Coverage of Cubicle and Office’s Big Day

• Happy 40th birthday, cubicle! Now die
• Cubicles’ Predecessor Conceived 40 Years Ago (NPR)
• Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Cubicle
• Happy 40th, Cubicle!

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