I'd use headphones - same as for when I work in a 'regular' office. You might then question the need for being in such a space at all, but I like being around people, even if I'm not interacting with them.

I use headphones in my current open workspace, but I find that there are certain things that I work on that are really better in silence. From Peopleware [1]:

"During the 1960s, researchers at Cornell University conducted a series of tests on the effects of working with music. They polled a group of computer science students and divided the students into two groups, those who liked to have music in the background while they worked (studied) and those who did not. Then they put half of each group together in a silent room, and the other half of each group in a different room equipped with earphones and a musical selection. Participants in both rooms were given a Fortran programming problem to work out from specification. To no one's surprise, participants in the two rooms performed about the same in speed an accuracy of programming. As any kid who does his arithmetic homework with the music on knows, the part of the brain required for arithmetic and related logic is unbothered by music -- there's another brain center that listens to the music."

"The Cornless experiment, however, contained a hidden wild card. The specification required that an output data stream be formed through a series of manipulations on numbers in the input data stream... Although the specification never said it, the net effect of all the operations was that each output number was necessarily equal to its input number. Some people realized this and others did not. Of those who figured it out, the overwhelming majority came from the quiet room."

I don't think there's a problem with listening to music some of the time. My concern is that by constantly having the headphones on to mitigate audible distractions, I'll miss insights that would directly impact the quality of the work that I do.

[1] http://www.amazon.com/Peopleware-Productive-Projects-Teams-E...

Some of my coworkers have bought headphones with active noise canceling. Those were a bit expensive but I as I tried them out I can see that they could make a difference. There are cheaper models as well. They don't remove all sound but a large part.

I quit the co-working place I was working out of and went to work in the public library instead. It was free and their wifi was more reliable.

Note to folks thinking of using their local library: Set up some sort of VPN or other proxy in advance.

My local library has assorted filtering in place. Last I checked, though, it was just port 80, so I was able to run a Web proxy on my remote server on another port in order to get past it.

(A VPN is a good idea for any use of public Wifi in an event.)

That's what drove me away from the co-working space we have. It was such an open space that every little noise echoed. They also held presentations during the day too.

No different from a coffee shop - which might also not be the ideal working environment for you.

I have never been to a coop designed for developers. But one of the most annoying things about coffee shops are all of the non-developers (or rather non-workers) who are there just enjoying life/relaxing and laughing/talking extremely loud. I have nothing against them having a good time, I just find it impossible to block out personally.

I would like to pretend the goof off level would be much less in a place designed for work and people seeking similar

These are 4 good reasons to Join workspaces like that :) http://www.sharedesk.net/blog/2013/06/4-reasons-to-join-coll...

I use headphones but i don't mind people talking around me, sometimes it's energizing. Obviously you have to choose the right one.

Good thing is that you can also just try them for a week (and that's what i did at the beginning)...after a while i decided to co-found ShareDesk. :P

You have to find the right one, but YES, they are definitely places where to be more productive. Try!

They are better than an open office plan inside of a company - because those people are collaborating more loudly and feel that as long as it's on topic it's okay to be loud. Generally a bunch of professionals working on different things are quieter than that. It obviously won't beat a dedicated office, though.