I like this idea but couldn't implement it due to problems with my heart. I think the old company of diet + exercise + not being grossly overweight should never be overlooked. Also I find frequent walks (on the pretense of getting coffee) can be very beneficial.
Avoid hemorrhoids: Improve Hacking and Health by Moving Your Chair
21–29 of 29 posts
Re: Avoid hemorrhoids: Improve Hacking and Health by Moving Your Chair
#22Donald Rumsfeld does this. He used it to justify "stress positions."
http://www.time.com/time/columnist/klein/article/0,9565,6582...
Re: Avoid hemorrhoids: Improve Hacking and Health by Moving Your Chair
#23I used a standing workstation for about a year. I now have a really nice ergonomic chair and a good desk. The standing workstation was pretty nice, and the OP is right, you do get used to standing after a couple weeks of doing it. The fact was, however, that because it took more effort to stand than sit, on the days I didn't really feel like working I was much more inclined to sit on my couch or at the kitchen table than I was to use my standing workstation, which of course negated any benefit I had from using the standing workstation. So I eventually abandoned the idea. I encourage people to try it, but I have a sneaking suspicion that most people grow tired of it and move back to a desk eventually.
Re: Avoid hemorrhoids: Improve Hacking and Health by Moving Your Chair
#24I'm typing this from a standing desk: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1038179/Fredrik2.jpg It's a "Fredrik" from Ikea, which courteously lets you choose the height of the desk and shelves, and doesn't stop you from putting them in the wrong spots. I've been using it for almost a year, and it's perfectly sturdy. One caveat: make sure you make it high enough. Using a standing desk when the keyboard is even a few inches too low…
are you a dwarf? i might be seeing it wrong but it looks pretty low for a standing desk.
I'm 6'0". The desk surface is 3'9" from the ground. It's not low. My girlfriend is 5'6" and can't use it comfortably without standing on a yoga block.
Re: Avoid hemorrhoids: Improve Hacking and Health by Moving Your Chair
#25I used a standing workstation for about a year. I now have a really nice ergonomic chair and a good desk. The standing workstation was pretty nice, and the OP is right, you do get used to standing after a couple weeks of doing it. The fact was, however, that because it took more effort to stand than sit, on the days I didn't really feel like working I was much more inclined to sit on my couch or at the kitchen table…
I've had a standing desk for about a year, and largely for the reason you're describing. I have a tendency to stay up late coding, and a standing desk makes it harder to waste time staring at a bright screen when I'm tired enough that I should be sleeping. It's a feature in my book, but probably not so much if you're someone with a morning deadline.
Re: Avoid hemorrhoids: Improve Hacking and Health by Moving Your Chair
#26I've been sitting on an exercise ball for the last couple years, since I read a local newspaper article about schools in my community that offer those to schoolchildren to sit on. But only last week I discovered that most school exercise balls have knobs on them that keep them in place. Mine is a regular ball, which can roll in any direction. Maintaining my balance provides subtle movement any time I am at the comput…
When your palms face the ground, the orientation of the two bones in your forearm compress the tendons slightly. So, I'd really like to try a vertical keyboard. Kinesis makes them, but I'm not convinced I'd find the keys as comfortable as the aluminum Apple keyboards, which require very little pressure.
What I'd really prefer is a makeshift vertical arrangement with two of the small Apple USB keyboards back to back. The trouble then is that modifier keys don't work correctly (like shift plus a letter on the opposite keyboard wouldn't capitalize.) Is anyone aware of a hack that could solve this?
Re: Avoid hemorrhoids: Improve Hacking and Health by Moving Your Chair
#27If you stand, proper keyboard height is very important. Your wrists should not be bent while you type; otherwise, you risk a repetitive stress injury.
People get this wrong all the time, and use cheap, sticky keyboards. I made this mistake, and got a repetitive stress injury that made typing painful. Now I've got a better keyboard and zealous devotion to proper keyboard height, and my hands don't hurt anymore. Don't make the mistakes I did. POSITION YOUR KEYBOARD CORRECTLY! This is important, and warrants capital letters.
Yes, it is important. I've met two programmers who can no longer type at all because of a repetitive stress injury.
Re: Avoid hemorrhoids: Improve Hacking and Health by Moving Your Chair
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
I tried trackballs and various kinds of mice. Then, I switched to laptops and I decided to only rely on the touchpad. So I forced myself to learn keyboard shortcuts for all the programs that I use regularly, which sped up my productivity and now I only use a mouse for occational gaming.
Truth be told, I never liked trackpads, then I came across TrackPoint (i.e. 'the nipple') on a ThinkPad. Best... pointing... device... ever...
Moreover, you can buy a USB version of that ThinkPad keyboard which plugs into any computer: "ThinkPad USB Keyboard with TrackPoint" (part 55Y9003), $59, link to Lenovo store is
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPo...
Re: Avoid hemorrhoids: Improve Hacking and Health by Moving Your Chair
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Truth be told, I never liked trackpads, then I came across TrackPoint (i.e. 'the nipple') on a ThinkPad. Best... pointing... device... ever...
Moreover, you can buy a USB version of that ThinkPad keyboard which plugs into any computer: "ThinkPad USB Keyboard with TrackPoint" (part 55Y9003), $59, link to Lenovo store is http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPo...
TrackPoint is the one reason I'm really reluctant to get a netbook. I'll just stick with my X41 (or maybe get a used X60 or X61) until they get a netbook with TrackPoint.