Interesting. Unrelated question, is it easier to start a side business since you work for a remote company? (Had to do some stalking to find this out.) I imagine you might have more time to do these kind of things because you presumably don't have to deal with a commute.
Commute was nearly 3 hours for me back when I had to do it. I'd say being remote certainly can help, but has it's own drawbacks as well.
For instance, if you're already programming and working 8+ hours a day in your home, the last thing you want to do is more of it. One of the biggest things you'll want to do is get out more often since you're home a lot, and staying home to work on a side-project doesn't sound awfully appealing.