Those of us who use computers a lot eventually become pretty acutely aware of the points at which we interface with them. Monitor, keyboard, mouse. Or not, if you're lucky.
Do you like your keyboard? I like my keyboard. Except that I hate my keyboard. I like that it has larger shift and delete buttons than my old keyboards, and it has speaker volume and mute, which is cool. I use iTunes a lot. It has a good action, except that the space bar is too flush with the wrist rest. The space bar goes down too low when I hit it. When I'm typing, my thumbs are always bumping that edge. Overall, it's good. But look at it.
OK, it's not this keyboard specifically that's the problem. All standard desktop PC keyboards are stupid. Notice where the center of the keyboard is, with respect to the center of the monitor? It's a little to the right. No, it's really shifted to the left, to keep the mouse where I can reach it without stressing my forearm. Which is futile. We are told that it's important that we be looking directly forward at the center of our monitor, with the top of the monitor at eye level, and that our keyboard and mouse be ergonomically positioned, to avoid repetitive stress injuries. Right? If you're working with your head turned, you're going to hurt your neck. If your wrists are bent, you can get carpal tunnel. So you do not want your keyboard or monitor off to the side. But the center of the keyboard - the part we use to type - is between the G and H keys. Look at your keyboard. Your index fingers should rest on F and J. Now look closer at mine. 
See where F and J are? Off to the left. Letter K is in the center of the monitor. Which means when I'm typing, my hands are shifted to one side. That's how you get carpal tunnel, folks. If I align the center of my typing keys with the center of the monitor, here's the result. 
Now look at how far out there on the right the mouse is. Every time I reach for the mouse, I'm using my shoulder and neck. More stress. What's pushing it out there? The numeric keypad that lives on the right end of the keyboard. So who decided every basic computer keyboard needs that big 10-key Numeric keypad on the right-hand side? Some poor moron at IBM, that's who. About 25 years ago, or so I've read. I'm seriously considering investing in one of these, a keyboard without a numeric deal on the side. 12 clams at Amazon. It's essentially a laptop keyboard in a desktop form. Gotta give it some thought, because there are things about this keyboard that I really like, as I said. I do like the mute button, and I'd lose that. You can't have everything. By the way, who decided that we can't have everything? Some doofus at Microsoft, or so I've been told.
Do you like your keyboard? I like my keyboard. Except that I hate my keyboard. I like that it has larger shift and delete buttons than my old keyboards, and it has speaker volume and mute, which is cool. I use iTunes a lot. It has a good action, except that the space bar is too flush with the wrist rest. The space bar goes down too low when I hit it. When I'm typing, my thumbs are always bumping that edge. Overall, it's good. But look at it.
OK, it's not this keyboard specifically that's the problem. All standard desktop PC keyboards are stupid. Notice where the center of the keyboard is, with respect to the center of the monitor? It's a little to the right. No, it's really shifted to the left, to keep the mouse where I can reach it without stressing my forearm. Which is futile. We are told that it's important that we be looking directly forward at the center of our monitor, with the top of the monitor at eye level, and that our keyboard and mouse be ergonomically positioned, to avoid repetitive stress injuries. Right? If you're working with your head turned, you're going to hurt your neck. If your wrists are bent, you can get carpal tunnel. So you do not want your keyboard or monitor off to the side. But the center of the keyboard - the part we use to type - is between the G and H keys. Look at your keyboard. Your index fingers should rest on F and J. Now look closer at mine. 
See where F and J are? Off to the left. Letter K is in the center of the monitor. Which means when I'm typing, my hands are shifted to one side. That's how you get carpal tunnel, folks. If I align the center of my typing keys with the center of the monitor, here's the result. 
Now look at how far out there on the right the mouse is. Every time I reach for the mouse, I'm using my shoulder and neck. More stress. What's pushing it out there? The numeric keypad that lives on the right end of the keyboard. So who decided every basic computer keyboard needs that big 10-key Numeric keypad on the right-hand side? Some poor moron at IBM, that's who. About 25 years ago, or so I've read. I'm seriously considering investing in one of these, a keyboard without a numeric deal on the side. 12 clams at Amazon. It's essentially a laptop keyboard in a desktop form. Gotta give it some thought, because there are things about this keyboard that I really like, as I said. I do like the mute button, and I'd lose that. You can't have everything. By the way, who decided that we can't have everything? Some doofus at Microsoft, or so I've been told.
4 Comments:
Kyle, a couple of years ago I started having numbness in my fingers and traced it to the very unhealthy way I was using my laptop. It freaked me out to the point that when I needed a new computer I got a desktop and I researched keyboards for weeks before deciding on a Goldtouch ergonomic split keyboard with gel wrist rests. And a gel mousepad with a very odd looking mouse made by Evoluent. It took a few days to orient myself but the numbness was gone in a week and I can type for as long as needed with no strain.
I also got a desk chair that is adjustable in every way - arm rests, back, height, tilt, etc.
I think the total I spent on the chair, keyboard and gel rests, and mouse was about $300. but it has made my computer life infinitely better. I highly recommend taking some time to get your set-up just right if you use your keyboard and computer regularly, which most of us writers do!
Billie, thank you for sharing that. I've experienced some numbness in my fingers from time to time. I have a good chair, and gel rests that I can add, and decided to try them today. My workspace looks like this today: http://bit.ly/bZI0B4. The problem there is that it raises the mouse and keyboard even higher. I'm ... not tall. Know what? I actually need to lower my table top. And I wonder what our great grandparents would say if they heard about our modern concerns.
I know - it's hard to get everything just right. I really didn't think getting the set-up just so would make such a difference, but it did.
I still have the laptop for writing retreats and coffee shops, but nothing feels as good now as sitting at my own desk. (woe to anyone in my family who changes the adjustment to my desk chair!!)
Part of the problem for me with this stuff is that I stop to think about it. If I don't think about it, it's OK. It's the sudden consciousness that something's out of whack that throws everything out of whack. ... I have to laugh at myself when you say "woe to anyone ..." because I live alone, and do that to myself. I've had this chair for about 11 years, and I'm still adjusting it. :)
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