A:Answer Well, sort of... If cords are ran adjacent to the walls, they will most likely not be an issue. The 980 includes 2 virtual walls, and we are using one of them to block the area past our entertainment center to avoid having to tidy up cords in that area. We do try to keep most other cords off the ground (e.g. when one of us is using a laptop on the couch and it is plugged in while the Roomba is going).
After a few days/week of using the Roomba, you should have resolved any issues or obstacles that may be. We find that the Roomba has forced us to be more organized with cords and even laundry (socks on the floor can cause a Roomba wheel to get stuck).
It sounds high maintenance, but in reality, 95% of the time the Roomba will negotiate most obstacles around the house. The Roomba doesn't just bump around aimlessly... It uses various sensors (including a camera above it) to make decisions on how to tackle areas. It's really impressive to watch and, at times, it even seems like it's thinking (it will look around a few times and then choose a path...really amusing).
We have found that the amount of time we have regained from not having to manually vacuum as often is worth the small effort of clearing the floors up. Think of it as whenever your (or someone else's) toddler is about to enter a room and you make a conscious effort to remove any "not-kid-friendly" objects. This is the sort of exercise you'll go through for the first few days to a week.
