What do you use for an ergonomic workstation?

in hardware on 2014-03-15 22:14 (#3G0)

First it was ergonomic keyboards and mice, then ergonomic keyboard trays and lumbar-support chairs. Standing desks came next, and as XKCD points out, we're not done yet. No surprise then, that the SXSW event led to display of some new ideas, such as Martin Keen's new Leaning chair, basically a repurposed tractor seat posted at an angle.

How do you stay comfortable for the 23.5 hours that you are parked in front of a computer? And with all this ergonomic stuff, when will the madness end?

10 comments

Are Aeron chairs worth it? (Score: 2, Interesting)

by bryan@pipedot.org on 2014-03-15 22:28 (#K6)

The fake leather in my own office chairs have formed some uncomfortable cracks, and I've been looking for a good replacement. I've heard some people rave about the Herman Miller Aeron chairs, but I'm a little put off by their $600+ prices. Are they really worth it? Or are you just paying for the brand? If that's the case, can anyone recommend a knock-off version at a reasonable price point? :P

Re: Are Aeron chairs worth it? (Score: 1)

by guises@pipedot.org on 2014-03-19 02:53 (#NT)

If you happen to be in/around New York, the Business and Science Library has knock-off Aeron chairs. I don't know the brand, but they're pretty terrific. It's a nice library too.

Re: Are Aeron chairs worth it? (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2014-10-09 23:24 (#2T6V)

I'm an ergonomic nut. Somewhere around 10 years ago I bought a Herman Miller Aeron chair [1] and a Grahl Duo-Back chair [2] to have a "chair-off" to see which I liked better. The Aeron is a good chair for writing at a desk or thinking. It is terrible for working on a computer. The Grahl is as good as an Aeron for writing at a desk or thinking and is much better for using a computer. The chair I would buy now (models have changed since I bought) is a
Rohde & Grahl duo back 11 [3].

[1] http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/performance-work-chairs/aeron-chairs.html
[2] http://oddity.quirkdesign.co.uk/2011/03/10/sitting-pretty
[3] http://www.rohde-grahl.com/index.php?duo_back_en

a kit and kaboodle (Score: 1)

by rocks@pipedot.org on 2014-03-16 00:02 (#K8)

I cannot recommend the Kinesis Advantage enough. It is an awesome ergonomic keyboard. I would not go back to anything less even at $300.

I also use and like: left handed vertical mouse, right-handed handshoe mouse, and an AirTouch table. All are good products and help repetitive use problems. I have a $1000 chair as well -- I don't know the brand, but it is excellent and blows regular office chairs out of the water.

Re: a kit and kaboodle (Score: 2, Interesting)

by abc@pipedot.org on 2014-03-16 00:31 (#KB)

I use the "Truly Ergonomic Keyboard". It's pretty good, although the firmware bugs and customer service is pretty horrible. I considered the Advantage, but the puny function keys turned me off.

Re: a kit and kaboodle (Score: 1)

by rocks@pipedot.org on 2014-03-16 01:37 (#KC)

Jarred Walton of Anandtech has nice reviews of both the TECK and the Kinesis Advantage .

I've never tried the TECK, so I can't opine. However, I really like the finger "wells" of the Advantage in terms of typing position, and the spacing of the left and right hands as well. These are great design features of the Advantage in my opinion.

Frankly, the puny function keys are a weakness of the Advantage. I reprogrammed my key mapping to put my low use keys like "capslock" up on the puny function keys and more high use function keys down on the main keyboard to compensate.

Kineseis (Score: 2, Informative)

by zafiro17@pipedot.org on 2014-03-16 21:11 (#KS)

Here's another thumbs up for the Kinesis. I bought one and consider it one of the best computing purchases I ever made. I wrote about it here and wrote another bit here about how to get a Kinesis to be useful with emacs. That, with a trackball, feels great.

I've had a hell of a lot less luck with desks and chairs. I've tried raising my desk to no avail, have tried using a yoga ball as a desk chair, have tried raising my monitor, etc. Nothing feels comfortable. No idea what I'm looking for, but I notice my neck getting stiff at the end of the day, so a change in posture would be appreciated. Meanwhile, I set a timer for 30 minute intervals and get the hell out of my chair and do some stretches. Better than nothing.

Re: Kineseis (Score: 1)

by rocks@pipedot.org on 2014-03-16 23:01 (#KY)

Nice write-ups on the Kinesis. I liked the emphasis on Linux.

Hospital bed (Score: 2, Funny)

by link@pipedot.org on 2014-03-17 18:48 (#MJ)

If you're really going to spend so many hours seated/reclined how about a decent hospital bed with a special air mattress to reduce bed sores? Otherwise you really should get up and walk about regularly ;).

By the way, I find it somewhat interesting how we have been building chairs for thousands of years and yet office chairs are mostly either super expensive or crap (or in some cases both). Many can barely last longer than 7200rpm HDDs which are cheaper, have far longer and better warranties. OK so HDDs don't contain as much metal but have you seen what some charge for a _good_ office chair?

Re: Hospital bed (Score: 1)

by rocks@pipedot.org on 2014-03-17 19:52 (#MN)

Good office chairs appear to cost enough to warrant them being a business need and a business expense rather than having to pay for one out of salary, for example. I fight for myself or any of my colleagues to get good ergonomic equipment at work though. I think it impacts performance and thus can be justified on entirely economic grounds.