Ergonomics for designers

Adam Ladd

i'm usually on the armrests, that may be something i probably need to adjust further to relieve pressure and get better posture.

my current desk setup and depth doesn't really accommodate me getting in close enough with my chair/armrest height adjustments.

John Hudson

I wrote:

An additional benefit of the Aeron chair is that almost all parts are easily replaceable.

Case in point: I replaced the seat this morning, which took about ten minutes. My old seat lasted 20+ years.

John Hudson

Oh, and I am now the proud owner of a torque wrench.

Thomas Phinney

I am only on my second home-office Aeron in ~ 25 years, and the first one only broke because I did something really extremely stupid. I don’t remember why, but I really threw myself into it, super hard... and part of the back frame of the chair snapped! I had bought it used, so I can’t say how old it was at the time, but I had it about 10 years before I broke it.

The only other piece of home office equipment I love as much as my chair is my Unicomp keyboard. Sure, it is crazy loud, and is a problem if I want to type during a video call meeting. But it is built like a tank! And weighs nearly as much as one, too.

(I mean, if there is a home invasion and I am in my home office, what do I grab as a weapon: the decorative sword in the corner, or the Unicomp keyboard? I think the keyboard might be a more reliable weapon, although perhaps not as scary to the uninitiated.)

John Butler

I own three Unicomp keyboards, one of which I managed to break. The closest newer thing to these keyswitches is Cherry Green switches, but it’s still a ways downhill.

I arrived at the exact same weaponry conclusion that you did the moment I first picked up one of these keyboards.

Buy Unicomp keyboards while you can.

Thomas Phinney

Note: the Unicomp keyboards are essentially the old IBM PC keyboards from the 1980s. They bought IBM’s keyboard factory and equipment, when IBM went out of the desktop PC business, and made relatively minor tweaks to allow for things like a few more keys. There are a few different variations, but all their keyboards with the “buckling spring” mechanism are pretty awesome. I have a “classic” but the “new Model M” looks pretty great as well—although it strays just a little further from the original design.

I expect this keyboard will last until either it isn’t practical to physically connect it to modern computers, or the layout is obsolete in some way. Failing either of those problems, it should outlast my puny mortal frame, at least!

Ray Larabie

Having tried numerous mechanical keyboards, I chose to invest in an optical one. Many optical keyboard keys boast a lifecycle of up to 100 million keystrokes. Check out the Roccat Vulcan Optical for reference. I prefer a tenkeyless design, allowing me to keep my mouse close and access the arrow keys without any obstruction. And I can make it light up pink!

stuarthazley

I've been using a split mechanical keyboard called a Corne, which was actually a really fun build project. Not only has it been enjoyable to put together, but it has also proved to be incredibly beneficial for reducing pain in my fingers and hands. To add to the comfort, I have also paired it with two Fellowes wristrests, which provide great support.

In terms of my mouse, I've been using the Logitech MX Master 3S. This mouse is incredibly comfortable to use. It fits my hand perfectly and allows for smooth navigation.

Now, the biggest game-changer for me has been investing in a good chair. For the longest time, I used to rely on IKEA chairs, but my back paid the price. About six months ago, I decided to do some thorough research on office chairs and ended up choosing the Herman Miller Aeron. This chair has made a world of difference. Yes, it's quite expensive, but considering how much time I spend sitting at my desk, it was a worthwhile investment.

If you spend long hours at your desk like I do, I highly recommend investing in a chair that provides the right kind of support. Trust me, your body will thank you in the long run.

I hope this helps!

Adam Ladd

stuarthazley said:

In terms of my mouse, I've been using the Logitech MX Master 3S. This mouse is incredibly comfortable to use. It fits my hand perfectly and allows for smooth navigation.

That does help, thanks for sharing your experience Stuart. I considered the MX Master but have been having a struggle with keeping my wrist (and up the elbow/shoulder) rotated over without strain. Can do it, but think I'm finding a more upright mouse to help some (though a little more awkward to control/draw and makes me want to go back to a more traditional mouse sometimes). Does this seem to be an almost in between?

Thomas Phinney

I am also an MS Master 3 user.

It is a bit larger and more bulbous, with the net effect that one’s hand/wrist is slightly more tilted than with a normal/smaller mouse. I find it is about 20° or so, for me.

stuarthazley

There was an interesting YouTube video I watched (I wish I could find it now) reviewing the MS Master. The reviewer made an interesting point about hand placement while using the mouse. They pointed out that most people tend to rest their hand towards the back of the mouse, leaving their palm off the back of the mouse. However, the correct way is to rest the full palm of the hand on the back curve. I found this observation quite intriguing, so I tried it out, and it has made a significant difference in the comfort of using this mouse for extended periods. Initially, it felt strange as my fingers covered most of the surface area for the top left and right buttons.

Ray Larabie

Here's my latest kerning controller. I wore out my USB Super Famicom controller clone and moved on up to a USB Sega Saturn Controller clone. Amazon Japan link

This gives me more buttons to work with. Up and down change to the previous and next lines. Left and right adjust kerning by 1 with a repeat of 10 times per second and a 300 ms delay. Shoulder buttons adjust by 10 with a repeat of 6 times per second and a 600 ms delay.  A and B select glyphs to the left and right. C advances to the next master. X and Y advance to the previous and next glyphs. Z deletes the current pair. Start saves the file.

Here's the Joy2Key config file.

Michael Rafailyk