Telecommuting: A greater freedom, or a new kind of slavery?

It wasn't that long ago that telecommuting was an idea rooted in science fiction, alongside robot maids and flying cars. Cheap consumer electronics and internet connectivity have transformed the concept into a common practice for workers, though; in fact, the biggest hurdle hasn't been the limits of technology but of employers who are reticent to let workers out of their sight.

But the recession is changing that. As companies focus on the bottom line, the convenience and saved costs of telecommuting have become highly attractive, and as the home office increasingly becomes the only office, shifting product trends are making telecommuting increasingly convenient.