Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What is on your desk besides your computer (and components), and phone?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 21 posts

Re: Ask HN: What is on your desk besides your computer (and components), and phone?

#11

Post by cydonian_monk »

Hmm.... A small desk lamp, a scotch tape dispenser, two unused staplers, two unused hole punches, two vertical wire-files for the bits of loose paper that won't go away (one of which is completely empty, the other half-so), two stainless steel water bottles, my sunglasses, the wrist watch I never wear, my keys, a couple of smaller writing pads, and three VOIP phones (for testing). There's also a couple tech books that I never open (because I use the eBook versions on my iPhone, exNook, etc., now instead), along with the latest squarebound corporate policy tome that says I shouldn't post this.

All that and a small model bus with my hometown on the destination board to remind me that if I fail I'll be back on that bus going somewhere I fought to get out of.

Re: Ask HN: What is on your desk besides your computer (and components), and phone?

#12

Post by mikey_p »

Legal pads. With all the technology I deal with on a regular day, nothing beats having a legal pad handy to jot notes on. Something about handwriting really seems to help me remember interesting things from Hacker news, or odd notes from phone calls.

Re: Ask HN: What is on your desk besides your computer (and components), and phone?

#13

Post by hammock »

cydonian_monk wrote: post #11

Hmm.... A small desk lamp, a scotch tape dispenser, two unused staplers, two unused hole punches, two vertical wire-files for the bits of loose paper that won't go away (one of which is completely empty, the other half-so), two stainless steel water bottles, my sunglasses, the wrist watch I never wear, my keys, a couple of smaller writing pads, and three VOIP phones (for testing). There's also a couple tech books tha…

I like the bus reminder. I need one of those.

Re: Ask HN: What is on your desk besides your computer (and components), and phone?

#16

Post by cfinke »

joebadmo wrote: post #15
cfinke wrote: post #14

Nothing. A cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind.

The reply I've always heard to this is: "Then is an empty desk the sign of an empty mind?"

I do believe that you've picked up what I put down.

Seriously though, my desktop is essentially bare. I like the space to spread my arms out as I think, and I find that a large clean surface allows me to concentrate better than a desk full of books, knickknacks, and office supplies does.

Re: Ask HN: What is on your desk besides your computer (and components), and phone?

#18

Post by billswift »

veyron wrote: post #6
allwein wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dude, I'd be embarrassed admitting something like that was on my desk. shakes head at vb book

I kinda wish I had a vb book. I could handle vb6 way back when, but now the whole .NET thing makes me cry (why is it System.Drawing.Color.Red????)

Microsoft sells keyboards.

Re: Ask HN: What is on your desk besides your computer (and components), and phone?

#19

Post by joebadmo »

cfinke wrote: post #16
joebadmo wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The reply I've always heard to this is: "Then is an empty desk the sign of an empty mind?"

I do believe that you've picked up what I put down. Seriously though, my desktop is essentially bare. I like the space to spread my arms out as I think, and I find that a large clean surface allows me to concentrate better than a desk full of books, knickknacks, and office supplies does.

Yes, me too. People have mistaken my cubicle for an unoccupied one.

Re: Ask HN: What is on your desk besides your computer (and components), and phone?

#20

Post by sea6ear »

You are looking at the cubical of an average systems administrator. You notice a few items scattered around the desk (the computer is locked down and cannot be taken)

Random Books:

  Pointers on C
  C Programing Language
  Unix Power Tools
  Sed and Awk
  Classic Shell Scripting
  Unix in a Nutshell
A set of index cards (half size 2.5x3) with lists for next tasks for each project/issue being tracked.

A couple of notebooks

A coffee mug and a cup of water

A green marker for the Whiteboard

There is an exit to the West.

Post reply on HN