If You Could Freelance Anywhere, Where Would You Live? [MakeUseOf Poll]

Last week’s poll was a face-off between iPhone or Android. I thought it would be a much closer race, but the winner shone from the very beginning. Did you guess which it would be? Of course you did.

After receiving 618 votes, Android sustained a landslide victory over iPhone. The poll tallied just shy of 900 votes overall, with a mere 218 votes going to the iPhone. A surprising number of votes went to the little guys – the “neither” option collected 62 votes. The most fascinating thing about this poll though, was the comments. Many MakeUseOf users have done their research and listed positives and negatives for both Android and iPhone, yet often the final decision rested on one little detail they couldn’t live without. Both iPhone and Android have some adjustments to make, obviously.

Results and this week’s poll after the jump.

As you can see, Android is clearly the most popular choice with MakeUseOf readers.

And now on to this week’s question: If you could freelance online from anywhere, where would you live?

We realise that there are a lot of people who can telecommute or freelance from home these days. So, if you don’t need to be anywhere in particular for work, where do you want to be? Will the next ten years herald a mass exodus to beach resort towns? Forest areas? Will remote villages (with broadband) suddenly find themselves alongside an army of quiet freelancers?

Let’s find out! Tell us where you would go if you could work from anywhere.

If you’ve chosen “other”, please do let us know what sort of place it would be. Don’t worry about specifics, but let us know the main feature of the places you’re drawn to. It’ll be great to hear all of your ideas!

Tagged: freelance • office worker • workspace

Angela Alcorn

Ange is an Internet Studies & Journalism graduate who spends way too much time messing with social networks (see AngelaAlcorn.com or @smange).

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http://twitter.com/JonMBennett Jonathan Bennett

I chose a “busy city”. There’s always something to do in a city and you can live without the hassles of a car. The beach/island idea sounds nice too, but after living in the south for so long, I’ve had enough of beaches!

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

In reality, you could probably find a busy city near a beach.

http://www.makeuseof.com/answers Tina

I recommend Vancouver. Busy city, ocean, beach, rain forest (Stanley Park), and snowy mountains close by. What more could you ask for? Alright, it’s NOT cheap.

Alternatives: Munich (no ocean beach, but lakes and beer gardens), Berlin (no mountains, no real beach, but a river, tons of lakes, and it’s cheap). I’m sure there are more great alternatives, but I should only talk of what I know.

Jonathan Bennett

I chose a “busy city”. There’s always something to do in a city and you can live without the hassles of a car. The beach/island idea sounds nice too, but after living in the south for so long, I’ve had enough of beaches!
Dotjinks

I would choose a lake house or boat house on a clean fresh water lake.

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

Oooh. Houseboat! What a neat idea!
nm

The bad thing about houseboats, as awesome as they sound, are the mosquitos. At least that’s what they’re like on the Nile. But then again you did say clean fresh water lake

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

Hey, if we’re dreaming here, I guess we can dream out the mosquitos too. But, if it’s a clean lake, there’s likely to be water flow and that means fewer mosquitos. I think they’ll be fine.

Dotjinks

I would choose a lake house or boat house on a clean fresh water lake.
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B-gCcNyPzYmcZDMzY2Q1ODAtNzc4NC00Nzc2LWE2YzctNDJiNzk3ZDYwZWVj&hl=en Google Docs

I wanted to choose Mountains but realized internet connectivity won’t be good there. So I choose a Tropical/Forest area. I actually have live in one such environment and my wireless internet worked surprisingly well.

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

I love how it boils down to internet access. Sitting under a tree with a laptop in a tropical rainforest sounds lovely.

Google Docs

I wanted to choose Mountains but realized internet connectivity won’t be good there. So I choose a Tropical/Forest area. I actually have live in one such environment and my wireless internet worked surprisingly well.
Angela Alcorn

In reality, you could probably find a busy city near a beach.
Angela Alcorn

Oooh. Houseboat! What a neat idea!
Angela Alcorn

I love how it boils down to internet access. Sitting under a tree with a laptop in a tropical rainforest sounds lovely.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000119812830 Sargo Darya

If I could be a freelancer anywhere I would be trying to actually be “free” like a freelancer. Free as like getting a mobile office with a caravan and a satelite connection and then driving around the world working. Always wanted to do that when I’ve a solid client base. That’s what I would call a “freelancer”

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

That would be pretty fun
http://www.makeuseof.com/answers Tina

That sounds pretty awesome. Wouldn’t you miss a “home base” though, to come back to friends and family? Or is that part of your dream?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000119812830 Sargo Darya

As someone who lives mostly alone I think I wouldn’t mind. My home base is where I’m currently at. I think it’s more interesting meeting new people and to stay in contact with them. If I could do that I would take a photo with everyone I meet and make a huge photowall out of it. Would be awesome to get sponsors for that xD

Edit: Well it’s not supposed to be a dream. I’m definitely going to do it when it’s time.

Sargo Darya

If I could be a freelancer anywhere I would be trying to actually be “free” like a freelancer. Free as like getting a mobile office with a caravan and a satelite connection and then driving around the world working. Always wanted to do that when I’ve a solid client base. That’s what I would call a “freelancer”
Angela Alcorn

That would be pretty fun
Todd Lohenry

Rural Wisconsin with a big, fat internet pipe!!!

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

It’s all about the internet.

Todd Lohenry

Rural Wisconsin with a big, fat internet pipe!!!
Angela Alcorn

It’s all about the internet.
Tony

I would choose the beach, as most of the beaches out there provide peace and quiet, which will affect my productivity.

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

Sounds glorious, working with a view of the beach.

Tony

I would choose the beach, as most of the beaches out there provide peace and quiet, which will affect my productivity.
Angela Alcorn

Sounds glorious, working with a view of the beach.
Guest

Amsterdam

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

One of the most relaxed cities in the world. Nice idea.

Guest

Amsterdam
nm

The bad thing about houseboats, as awesome as they sound, are the mosquitos. At least that’s what they’re like on the Nile. But then again you did say clean fresh water lake
nm

I would go live in some small rural town in South Africa, close enough to a big city like Cape Town, but far enough for constant peace and quiet. And CT has the perfect combination of mountains, beaches, city life and vineyards. What more could a person ask for?

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

Hmmm. You might be on to something there.

nm

I would go live in some small rural town in South Africa, close enough to a big city like Cape Town, but far enough for constant peace and quiet. And CT has the perfect combination of mountains, beaches, city life and vineyards. What more could a person ask for?
Angela Alcorn

Hey, if we’re dreaming here, I guess we can dream out the mosquitos too. But, if it’s a clean lake, there’s likely to be water flow and that means fewer mosquitos. I think they’ll be fine.
Angela Alcorn

One of the most relaxed cities in the world. Nice idea.
Angela Alcorn

Hmmm. You might be on to something there.
http://pceasies.com pceasies

Probably some remote mountain area assuming I get good internet speeds =P

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

Apparently the internet in mountains is kind of difficult, but you can dream.

pceasies

Probably some remote mountain area assuming I get good internet speeds =P
Angela Alcorn

Apparently the internet in mountains is kind of difficult, but you can dream.
Pvilan

Uruguay! It’s a perfect combination of all items.
Pvilan

Uruguay! It’s a perfect combination of all items.
http://blog.stephenli.ca Stephen

In a galaxy far far away =D

http://netsavoir.com/ Angela Alcorn

Now THERE’s a plan.

Stephen

In a galaxy far far away =D
Angela Alcorn

Now THERE’s a plan.
http://www.makeuseof.com/answers Tina

I would live in a city, but travel to all of the other locations. Actually, that’s what I’m doing right now.
Tina

I would live in a city, but travel to all of the other locations. Actually, that’s what I’m doing right now.
Tina

That sounds pretty awesome. Wouldn’t you miss a “home base” though, to come back to friends and family? Or is that part of your dream?
Tina

I recommend Vancouver. Busy city, ocean, beach, rain forest (Stanley Park), and snowy mountains close by. What more could you ask for? Alright, it’s NOT cheap.

Alternatives: Munich (no ocean beach, but lakes and beer gardens), Berlin (no mountains, no real beach, but a river, tons of lakes, and it’s cheap). I’m sure there are more great alternatives, but I should only talk of what I know.
Sargo Darya

As someone who lives mostly alone I think I wouldn’t mind. My home base is where I’m currently at. I think it’s more interesting meeting new people and to stay in contact with them. If I could do that I would take a photo with everyone I meet and make a huge photowall out of it. Would be awesome to get sponsors for that xD

Edit: Well it’s not supposed to be a dream. I’m definitely going to do it when it’s time.
http://www.donanza.com Freelance Jobs

I would live in a house along the beach well of course I will need an internet connection along with me just love to smell the ocean breeze each time I wake up, and watching the sunset as I work.
Freelance Jobs

I would live in a house along the beach well of course I will need an internet connection along with me just love to smell the ocean breeze each time I wake up, and watching the sunset as I work.
Andrew

A boat. One need not be fixed to a location…
Andrew

A boat. One need not be fixed to a location…
Lrcdet

Any place on earth other than Detroit.
Lrcdet

Any place on earth other than Detroit.

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