Humans are not Machines.
To Relate Effectively with Machines,
Humans Need a Proper Work Environment.
How do you establish a work area that works well for both
computers and human beings? Improper work spaces are more than
merely awkward or cluttered- they can actually cause pain and
permanent injury. Below are some suggestions for a working area
that can be good for both computers and human beings.
The Desk- The best computer "desk"
may be a plain desk or table that is both Low and Wide. Low,
so you don't need a super-high chair to be in the best seating
position. (See below.) Wide, so the computer will fit on it comfortably-
The monitor won't be forced into your face, and the keyboard
should not be falling into your lap. Some shelves behind or nearby
the computer would be excellent, to hold the inevitable clutter.
Most "computer desks" are not well designed, and often
lack reasonable space for "mouse room", or support
for large (17" and up) monitors. They are designed to appeal
to a human's sense of style, not the practical aspects of computer
use. A central drawer in the desk is another problem, as this
drawer will make it difficult to type in the proper position
without injury. (See below). Take out any bulky central drawer
and throw it away.
The Keyboard- If used improperly,
the keyboard can damage your hands, and the tendons that control
your fingers and wrist. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is the
"Asbestos" of the 1990's. Carpal Tunnel Syndrone is
only one example of an RSI- there are many other possible forms
of this common office ailment. All over America, people are wearing
wrist braces and finding new jobs that don't involve typing because
they have permanently damaged the little tendons and structures
in their wrists and hands.
How do you avoid problems with a keyboard? Items to watch
for:
- If it hurts, STOP. Pain in the hands and wrists while
typing is not a form of "exercise". This may involve
lifelong injury to very delicate parts. When typing hurts, stop
and take a break. Perhaps you will need to stop typing for a
few days to relieve a serious pain. Remember, this can involve
a lifelong, permanent, injury. Be reasonable, and give your body
a chance to heal.
- Type with your Fingertips Below Your Wrists.
Your wrists should be held above your fingers and fingertips.
This is very important. Remember typing class? Unfortunately,
although they are popular, we suggest that you never use a "wrist
rest". A wrist rest actually encourages bad habits, and
moves your wrists too far down for proper typing.
- Have the Right Desk. Trouble keeping your hands in
the air? Your desk may not be well designed for typing. (Many
are not.) Your keyboard should be as close as possible to the
top of your thighs. (NO, don't type with it in your lap!) Raise
your chair as high as it can go. Tuck yourself into the desk
carefully. The keyboard should be only inches above your legs.
In this position, it will be less difficult to type incorrectly.
If armrests on the chair interfere, either remove them or get
a new chair. If your chair can't go high enough (some cannot),
consider a new chair (some people even use drafting chairs),
or look at a new desk. Again, a central desk drawer can make
this futile. Get rid of the central drawer, or get a new desk.
Regrettably, the old "typing desks" and L-shaped desk
extensions are quite good for keyboard placement (low, without
obstructions for a chair), but have no room on top for a standard
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor. They work quite well for laptops
and the new LCD flat-panel monitors.
- Take a Time Out. Schedule little breaks to rest up.
Take ten minutes or so off every couple of hours. Don't burn
yourself out. Remember, you are only human. Look at something
far away, to give your eyes a rest. Take a little walk around,
and have a stretch.
- Don't type crooked. This is another common problem.
Your arrangement should be straight on to the monitor. It is
not possible to maintain good ergonomics when typing on an angle.
This can cause some serious problems if you are doing real work
on the keyboard. Line up directly in front of the monitor, keyboard
comfortably low and straight in front of you, wrists up and fingers
down, back straight, and ready to get to work...
The Monitor- Your Monitor should
be at a convenient angle directly in front of the keyboard. The
best height of the monitor appears to be "whatever is comfortable".
There appears to be no medical or ergonomic reasons why a monitor
should not be high up (forcing your neck straight) or even buried
under glass in the desk top (forcing your neck down). However
the monitor is adjusted, the screen should be easily seen and
directly in front of you.
Monitor size is not always a matter
of choice, but we suggest a 17" or larger monitor for serious
use. The size of the dots on the screen can be adjusted on most
monitors. With Windows, this is adjusted by the Display Properties
control panel, under the Settings tab for Screen Area. The old
standard was 640 by 480, and this may still be best for smaller
screens. However, 640 by 480 is quite cramped to display most
modern software. Most users will be more comfortable with a setting
of 800 by 600. If your eyes are good, and you need as much "real
estate" as possible, the 1024 by 768 setting on a 17"
or larger monitor is a reasonable choice. Older monitors had
a setting called "Interlaced". This is a very jumpy
image, similar to a TV screen, and will damage your eyes. Interlacing
may also be caused by incorrect video card software. A lower
"refresh rate" and a smaller screen area should adjust
out any interlaced image.
The Monitor's Image should be clear
and easy to see. Monitors contain elaborate controls, and some
experience with these controls can pay off in better viewing.
The contrast control should generally be set to the maximum value.
We suggest a brightness setting of between 50% and 75% of maximum,
depending on the monitor. Some monitors may have severe color
distortion. This is a "degausing" problem. Although
an auto-degausing system should fix this each time the monitor
is turned on and off, some monitors are never turned off. There
is always a manual degausing option to fix color distortion problems.
The monitor should not need more elaborate tuning, but monitor
controls can adjust the screen in some rather unusual ways. If
you are going to experiment with the monitor screen image controls,
first confirm that there is a setting that will return them to
the factory defaults.
Low-level Radiation Emissions from color
monitors is not as serious an issue as it once was, but remains
a concern. There is considerable debate over how harmful this
radiation is. New regulations have reduced the amount of radiation
emitted from the front of color monitors. LCD screens (as on
a portable, or a flat-panel display) have no radiation emissions
at all. Still, some color screens still emit a great deal of
low-level radiation- mostly out the back and sides. Keep a reasonable
distance (two feet or so) from your CRT screen and you should
be fine.
Keep It Clean- Clean the screen regularly.
Dirt on the screen can be a major contributer to eye strain.
Windex or alcohol may damage anti-glare coatings. Check the user's
manual. The safest way to clean the screen on a standard CRT
(not on an LCD or a portable!) may be to use a damp (not wet)
paper towel. Need more power? Use "Formula 409" or
"Fantastic" type cleansers. If you have a portable
with a flat panel display, avoid water and read the manufacturer's
recommendations. A wipe with an alcohol pad might do the trick,
but could affect the portable's anti-glare coating. Read the
user's guide.
The Chair- Your chair should be just
low enough to let you get your legs under the desk. Armrests
are completely optional, and really have no point when you are
typing. Back support is vital. Look for a chair with firm back
support. The chair should not rock back and forth on the base.
Chair mechanisms should be firmly constructed so you do not have
to balance on your spine all day. When you lean back, the chair
should catch you. Many desk chairs are made of inferior materials
and workmanship. When selecting a new chair, try to examine a
representative selection. Furniture prices are not always an
indicator of quality.
Lighting The Workplace- Lights
should be indirect. Glare on the screen is unacceptable and will
damage your sight; never face the screen toward an uncovered
window or you will get glare. (Look OUT the window instead...)
Fluorescent lights are OK as long as they are not bouncing from
the screen. "Glare Screens" sometimes make the problem
worse, not better- a "last gasp" solution. If you need
one, try to get the "box" type that surrounds the monitor
and blocks out all other light; the "plate glass" type
that hang in front of the monitor are liable to break easily
and don't work nearly as well.
Heat and Smoke- If the
Temperature is good for you, it should be good for the computer
as well. Really hot weather can cause crashes in some machines;
keep it cool in the summer. (An extra fan focused right on the
computer sometimes helps...) Heat is bad. Do you smoke? Try to
resist around your machine; they are built to be tough but smoke
can act like sand on delicate hard drive parts. Smoke is also
really messy, and will gum up everything.
Mouse Care- Mouse Pads are quite
functional. They help keep your mouse clean. Use one. Canvas-covered
pads with a thick foam base appear to be the best; an 'oversized'
9" X 11" size is suggested. Teflon coated mouse pads
make the mouse very slick, but make the inside of the mouse dirty.
The slick surface builds up strings of gunk that stick on the
only non-Teflon surfaces available- the inside of the mouse.
Throw away a teflon pad if you have one, or be prepared to clean
it daily. Many computer stores will sell teflon stickers for
the bottom of the mouse, instead. Plastic "picture"
mouse pads are a cheap gimmick that also fail to protect the
mouse. Cloth-covered pads can be cleaned in a standard washing
machine. To insure a clean mouse, cloth-covered mouse pads should
be replaced or washed every six months.
Dirty mice are very frustrating. When
your mouse gets dirty, and they all do, you should clean it.
Turn the computer off. Extract the mouse ball by removing the
retaining ring. With your fingernail (an alcohol pad will help),
clean off the little "tires" that have accumulated
on the wheels inside. There will be three wheels on a classic
Mouse, two wheels for the X and Y axis and a pressure wheel to
keep the ball firmly seated. Tweezers or a "can of air"
(sold at photo stores or electronic supply places) are other
useful tools. Mouse cleaning kits, with special cleaners and
scrubbing mouse balls, are another option. If the mouse action
does not improve to a "like new" condition, there may
be dirt further inside that may require disassembly of the mouse
itself. Be careful- Too much disassembly or careless handling
can cause the little wheels and springs inside to fly around
the room. |
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