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Ask HN: Trivial etiquette question - can he touch my laptop screen?

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Re: Ask HN: Trivial etiquette question - can he touch my laptop screen?

#52

Post by drobilla »

pistoriusp wrote: post #42
cschep wrote: post #16

I always start the sentence with... "I know this is weird, but..." It helps me get to the actual point of direct confrontation, but by blaming it on myself it helps absorb some of the awkward. Truly though, I hate it when people touch my laptop's screen!

I hate that. It's the same as people starting a sentence with "I'm sorry, but..." And then saying something that they're not really sorry about. It's not silly to not want someone to touch your screen. I think you should just come out and say it. "Please don't touch my monitor."

This is what I do, and it's never a problem. The reasons why you wouldn't want somebody touching your scren are pretty obvious. I'm not apologizing to someone else for /them/ smudging their filthy hand marks all over /my/ screen!

There's a "please", it's not like it's rude...

Re: Ask HN: Trivial etiquette question - can he touch my laptop screen?

#56

Post by IsaacSchlueter »

tsally wrote: post #15

Wow I'm hearing tons of complicated ways to avoid direct conversation. If you pay several thousand dollars for a machine, I'm pretty sure you get to decide to gets to do what with it. If it is your companies screen, you are still responsible for it, so the same thing applies. Next time it happens, just politely explain how you feel. There's no need for the passive aggressive solutions that a few people are suggesting…

Yes, exactly. "Please don't touch my screen" has always worked fine for me. Especially if you get it out quick before they actually make contact, always say it politely, and make sure that you repeat the warning 100% of the time that there's a finger heading towards the screen.

    "Hey, you see that thing right--"
    "Please don't touch my screen."
    "I didn't touch it, though."
    "I know.  Thank you.  Please keep it that way."
    "Ok... anyway, the thing right here--" (pointing)
    "Please don't touch my screen."
    (mildly annoyed, steps back a foot) "So, the thing under the red bit there..."
The downside is that the obsessive screen smudger will be a little bit annoyed at you. Which, in my opinion, is better that you being annoyed at them. At least it's in the open. And, there's a good chance that they won't come bother you f2f as much, unless it's really necessary, which is a bonus.

If that doesn't work, just work remotely.

And, seriously, what kind of unevolved cretin can't communicate without pointing anyway? It's embarrassing. If you have to point, point with the mouse, or learn to use Skitch.

Re: Ask HN: Trivial etiquette question - can he touch my laptop screen?

#58

Post by ewjordan »

joe_the_user wrote: post #17
mgrouchy wrote: post #4

I agree completely, people do this all the time, waving pens at my screen, etc. I think the easiest way to do it was the way you suggested, most people will get the hint if you just polish the smudge they left in front of them. You don't have to be rude or anything. You can even be discreet about it. People will still get the point.

A "space violation" which doesn't involve actual damage to something might be a matter of social/cultural etiquette. Different cultures have different distances that people stand apart from each other or different amounts of touching between friends and acquaintances. But I think its always over-the-line when a touch can actual do some small amount of damage to the item - any touch to laptop screen is going to be red…

But I think its always over-the-line when a touch can actual do some small amount of damage to the item - any touch to laptop screen is going to be reducing its lifetime at least a bit. Bah. Well, in theory, maybe.

But can anyone here honestly say that they've ever had to get rid of a laptop even one day earlier than they would have anyways because of the damaging effects of finger oils on the screen? There are so many things in a laptop that degrade more quickly than the screen surface, I just don't think it's a very legitimate worry.

What's the worst case scenario from touching a laptop screen a lot, other than the minor annoyance of having to wipe the crap off from time to time?

Re: Ask HN: Trivial etiquette question - can he touch my laptop screen?

#59

Post by pj »

There was an article here the other day from some hacker that almost proudly stated that he went through 2 or 3 laptops a year. I thought this was absolutely ridiculous. My laptops last five years or more. What a waste of money.

If you love something, take care of it and it'll last longer and treat you well. We live in a disposable society. I was always taught to take care of things so they would last. You too apparently.

I like a clean screen.

Re: Ask HN: Trivial etiquette question - can he touch my laptop screen?

#60

Post by __david__ »

joe_the_user wrote: post #17
mgrouchy wrote: post #4

I agree completely, people do this all the time, waving pens at my screen, etc. I think the easiest way to do it was the way you suggested, most people will get the hint if you just polish the smudge they left in front of them. You don't have to be rude or anything. You can even be discreet about it. People will still get the point.

A "space violation" which doesn't involve actual damage to something might be a matter of social/cultural etiquette. Different cultures have different distances that people stand apart from each other or different amounts of touching between friends and acquaintances. But I think its always over-the-line when a touch can actual do some small amount of damage to the item - any touch to laptop screen is going to be red…

Reducing its lifetime? How on earth can a touch reduce the lifetime of your laptop lcd? The insides that actually create the pictures are separated by layers of plastic you know...
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