The SF Chronicle has a story on the growing trend of working from cafes.

San Francisco’s modern-day bedouins are typically armed with laptops and cell phones, paying for their office space and Internet access by buying coffee and muffins.

“The San Francisco coffeehouse is the new Palo Alto garage,” declares Kevin Burton, 30, who runs his Internet startup Tailrank without renting offices. “It’s where all the innovation is happening.”

Working from home can be liberating, but it can be hard to achieve a balance.

“There is nothing more free than being a Web worker,” Malik says. “There is no boss. You work for yourself. This is the new Wild West. The individual is more important. That’s the American way. It’s about doing things your own way. Web workers represent that. … It’s the future, my friend.”

There is a downside, Malik readily admits. “I can put in an 18-hour day,” he said. “You don’t know when to stop.”