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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?

#101

Post by zmimon »

cesare wrote: post #27

I hate when people do this. And I'm surprised by how many people don't understand the problem. It's not necessary to touch the screen even if you're pointing something. Grab the mouse (or use the touchpad) or just point without touching. Is it so difficult? It's obviously a habit acquired by interacting with paper and less fragile (and expensive) media. But for me it is a sign of ignorance. I hate this so much that I…

> Grab the mouse (or use the touchpad) or just point without touching. Is it so difficult?

Point without touching please. I never want to touch someone else's mouse or keyboard. They are among the dirtiest most germ infected places you can find and touching them is bad for both you and the person with the keyboard / mouse / touchpad.

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

#102

Post by sherrod »

This thread is really fascinating, ranging from the hilarious to the intelligent. I agree that touching isn't THAT big of a deal that you need to get all worked up. However, there are legitimate reasons for not touching people's screens. I have a screen with a matte display -- that's without the extremely glossy and reflective glass covering. If someone has even the shortest of short fingernails -- and most people do -- they're going to do some kind of damage to the rather sensitive, uncovered screen. I'm not about to go get a mirror -- other people call them glossy screens -- just to protect my screen from your projectile fingers. If I do touch a screen, which happens because like some person said, you don't always think about it, I make sure to touch with the pad of my finger and not the nail. And pens are a complete nofuckingway no matter what kind of screen it is. They will ruin any screen. You ever try to get ink out of a tiny indentation in a glass screen? Because you can't. It's happened to me.

So in conclusion, if your screen isn't glass-covered and they're coming at it like an ICBM, definitely say something polite (Excuse me..., Please don't..., Umm...). But if your screen is protected and they're not using a pen/knife to point...let it go. Most screens are so bright you can't even see smudges.

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

#103

Post by lucraft »

vinutheraj wrote: post #33
rjurney wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let out a little scream like a madman, "aaaahhh! no touch screen!" Silliness works. Or my favorite: "Touching my computer is like touching my penis. Seriously."

I don't think your favorite line will work if it's a female co-worker though !

Well, she's certainly not going to touch your screen again.

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

#105

Post by cakesy »

kailoa wrote: post #21
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!

Big big upvote. This works much better than the passive-agressive method of silently glaring and cleaning your screen in front of co-worker. Here are more examples of the same technique: "This is totally my own OCD, but it drives me crazy if..." "Just a sec, I have to apologize, but..." "It's probably just me, but it kills me when..." (Don't forget to smile and be apologetic, tone is key)

Damn, what a bunch of sissies. Don't apologise for stuff that isn't your fault, tell them not to touch your screen. No need to make an excuse. Don't be rude, but don't be ridiculous over the top apologetic either.

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

#106

Post by Calamitous »

bfinch wrote: post #82

Interesting to see all the followups. I had no idea that anyone cared about this. Reminds me of guys who don't like people touching their cars. I'd encourage all the folks advising the OP to be curt or to ostentatiously rub out the smudge to imagine a guy in a polo shirt wearing Ray-Bans. Perhaps his collar is turned up. Now imagine this man behaving the same way after someone touches the finish on his Corvette. You…

Except Mr. Polo doesn't have to spend ten hours a day staring straight into his car's finish.

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

#108

Post by indrax »

rjurney wrote: post #26
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!

Let out a little scream like a madman, "aaaahhh! no touch screen!" Silliness works. Or my favorite: "Touching my computer is like touching my penis. Seriously."

Take out a piece of clear tape, put it where they touched the screen, take it off and put it on a blank piece of paper, then write their name and the finger they used on the paper. If they ask say it's "for my records."

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

#109

Post by indrax »

dave_au wrote: post #96
__david__ wrote: post #69

I see a lot of posts from the anal retentive crowd. Here's the opposite opinion: I think it's ok to touch laptop screens. I touch my own and if I'm interested enough in pointing something out I may touch yours because at that point I'm at a completely different place mentally and not thinking about your little quirks. One of my co workers stressed out every time I touched his screen but it didn't make me stop. I'd av…

Now replace "touching my laptop" with "urinating in my car". It won't ruin the car. And it's just an object after all. If you urinated in someones car and they were upset, would you tell them they were being irrational or to get over it? Maybe tell them they should keep a towel in the car in case the passengers urinate? I mean, if you think it's ok to urinate in a car then it's not really your problem if they seem an…

For that matter, I think touching a car is widely seen as legitimately annoying to anyone who wants to keep it shiny.

Doubly so for the windshield.

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

#110

Post by kbaribeau »

I think the problem with telling most people not to touch your screen is that often they don't see an alternative. So I always make sure I have a pen with me. If someone touches my screen, I usually just hand them my pen and say "Here, point with this".

Not only do you avoid the finger-oil issues, but it's also more accurate.

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