I've been working remotely (1500 km from the office) as a programmer since Sept. 2006. I believe there is huge potential for innovation here and that current collaboration tools are pretty primitive, although I have to say, Webex is a lifesaver. This Screenhero application looks like a great complement.

Companies can gain a lot by allowing people to work remotely - they vastly increase the talent pool and they save money by not having to supply office space. But like the article said, there's a cultural issue here. The whole thing reminds me of online dating ten years ago, when the perception was that it's for losers. Now seemingly everyone does it.

What's needed is basically validation for this lifestyle. Once that happens, the awesome tools will follow. Screenhero seems like a great first step for sure.