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Supine Computing (2019)

mgsloan.com

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Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#31

Post by frereubu »

megameter wrote: post #24
frereubu wrote: post #2

This reminds me of when I did something nasty to my back and could only lie down - instead of mounting my laptop I hooked it up to a projector I already had for films and pointed it at the ceiling. It required low light, but it was what I had available at the time and worked for the length of time it took for my back to get better. However, I have to quibble with the "Healthy Hacking: DIY Supine Workstation" article…

Supine posture isn't really all that static if you're awake and on a surface at least as hard as tatami - you can shift around on the floor much more than in a chair, especially if the monitor can adjust a bit with you. Add a pillow anywhere and your entire force distribution changes. I would be a little more suspicious of the hammock idea, or soft beds. If you're sinking into it, it's obviously immobilizing. Floor d…

I see what you mean in terms of movement, but lying down is also not a natural position for a human body except for the duration of sleep. I mean, you might be able to avoid bed sores, but you're not using your core muscles in the way that the body is evolved for and your joints aren't being used in a way that will keep them in tune. It's a bit like astronauts losing a lot of general body tone and having to go through quite a bit of conditioning when they return to earth.

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#33

Post by belter »

bee_rider wrote: post #17
frereubu wrote: post #2

This reminds me of when I did something nasty to my back and could only lie down - instead of mounting my laptop I hooked it up to a projector I already had for films and pointed it at the ceiling. It required low light, but it was what I had available at the time and worked for the length of time it took for my back to get better. However, I have to quibble with the "Healthy Hacking: DIY Supine Workstation" article…

I've never been a dancer, just not my thing, but with a standing desk and headphones I find myself code-dancing constantly.

Of course you have to dance: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28036487

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#34

Post by dougmwne »

After pulling my back a while ago, I did this with a VR headset. It worked well and was about the only way I could look at a screen. I mainly used the built in browser in the Oculus Quest, but you could do remote desktop with mouse and keyboard instead. I had a several foot virtual screen projected a few feet above my head. I would never want to do this if I didn't have an acute injury since laying in bed all day sounds like a sure path to muscle weakness.

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#35

Post by dougmwne »

derefr wrote: post #12

Anyone doing this with a VR headset, to avoid the need for mounting a screen in a funny location?

I have and it worked well enough. Last time I pulled my back I worked a day in VR and spent a day watching shows and playing xbox before I could stand again. I find that immobilization is the best way to let muscle pulls heal so my method is to just stay flat on my back for a day or two. Before I had the headset I stared at the ceiling for 2 days.

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#37

Post by medstrom »

code_duck wrote: post #14

When I spent a lot of time laying in bed using a laptop, my typical position was to put my knees up and open the computer at an obtuse angle on my stomach. The only problem I’ve had with this was one time when I shifted positions and my MacBook fell forward, striking the bridge of my nose with the edge of the lid. We all know how sharp the edges are on MBPs, right? It left a 1 cm scar on my nose.

What, you still have the scar?!

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#38

Post by literallyaduck »

Awesome article, I'd turn into a human from WALL-E after a few months of it. How do you avoid water outside? Between neighborhood kids playing with squirt guns in the pool next door and the sweat from outdoor temperatures it seems hazardous. Another problem I had was screen brightness, the sun always found a way to make the screen unreadable or get in my eyes.

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#39

Post by dashezup »

It's too comfortable while laying down, I usually fell into sleep when I was laying down on my bed to take a rest. I guess this could also happen with such setup.

I think it's better to find a comfortable chair instead, unless you don't have choice but laying down. It's important to keep the laying down pose dedicated to sleeping/resting, do some exercise at other time and this could boost your productivity.

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#40

Post by mgsloan2 »

frereubu wrote: post #2

This reminds me of when I did something nasty to my back and could only lie down - instead of mounting my laptop I hooked it up to a projector I already had for films and pointed it at the ceiling. It required low light, but it was what I had available at the time and worked for the length of time it took for my back to get better. However, I have to quibble with the "Healthy Hacking: DIY Supine Workstation" article…

Author of the supine computing post here. I agree thoroughly that variety is best for health overall. In a different post I wrote a section about it: https://mgsloan.com/posts/deskless-ergo-wfh/#variety-is-key . I think it comes up elsewhere, but I should probably emphasize it in every post!
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