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I voted 'Minimal stretching and minor ergonomic aids', when I should have voted 'None':
- I'm up and down fairly often to head into the lab or onto the production floor. As a result, I'm out of the chair fairly often.
- I'm a runner/cyclist, and I'll stretch at my desk now and then just because I feel like I'm getting stiff.
- I have an ergonomic desk chair and a keyboard drawer mounted at a comfortable height. My company felt like coddling its programmers a while back
 , so they bought us nice chairs and desk accessories. They'll spend $1400 each on chairs, but won't buy all of us CD writers  .
My point is, the health benefits of these things are side effects. The original intent doesn't have anything to do with RSI.
"Think of it as evolution in action." - 'Oath of Fealty' by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
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I chose "Regular stretching, breaks each hour and good ergonomic equipment", because it was the only one that mentioned regular breaks. I rarely spend more than, say, thirty minutes sat in front of a machine without getting up and wandering about (if only to get a fresh coke or fetch a file). I also tend to take my hands off of the keyboard and mouse whenever I am not actively using them, and do a lot of stretching them behind my head and down my sides - this regular stretching (every ten minutes at a minimum) is true to almost everything I do, I do it in the car, I do it at the pub, and I used to do it at school. I just *love* that stretching feeling.
I'm booked into a "special club" for a taster session next Thursday evening - in the paper they advertised that they could provide "the ultimate stretching experience through the aid of medievil techniques". I can't wait! 
____________________
David Wulff
hu·mour Pronunciation Key (hymr)
n. & v. Chiefly British
Dave's Code Project Screensaver and Wallpaper page.
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You stretch your hands behind your head in the car!? 
/Magnus
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lol
Build a man a fire, and he will be warm for a day
Light a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life!
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Not behind my head, but every now and again while it is unoccupied I will give it a little stretch. I, er, mean my arms of course. 
____________________
David Wulff
hu·mour Pronunciation Key (hymr)
n. & v. Chiefly British
Dave's Code Project Screensaver and Wallpaper page.
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I had to vote "None. Real Programmers don't get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" because I have never had any pains resulting from the use of a computer. But I disagree with the rest of the vote option because I know many good programmers who have.
A lot of co-workers often warn me that my sitting position and wrist position will get me in trouble, but after nearly 8 years I have never had a problem, while they have had plenty, even in their fancy orthopedic chairs and wrist supports. I wonder if using computers from an early age while I was still physically developing has helped (I started at about 13 years old.)
Also what about other technologies? I read a rather dubious report that said teenagers thumbs were growing slightly stronger to cope with all the SMSing they do on their phones. What about TV remotes? Do they give you a kink in your thumb what with all the channel hoping?
Surely if computers cause problems then so do other technologies we use a lot.
regards,
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and to be loved in return - Moulin Rouge
Tim Smith wrote:
Over here in the third world of humor (a.k.a. BBC America),
peterchen wrote:
We should petition microsoft to a "target=_Paul" attribute.
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Paul Watson wrote:
had to vote "None. Real Programmers don't get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" because I have never had any pains resulting from the use of a computer
I thought the same thing for several years until I got Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and believe me it's not fun. I will probably need surgery soon, it's a rather crippling condition. Paul, you're still a kid (I mean it in a good sense), but time (and aging) will catch up to you if you don't take the proper precautions.
Eddie Velasquez: A Squeezed Devil
Checkout General Guidelines for C# Class Implementation
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I've been using terminals and computers for almost 30 years and don't have any problems. At 46, I've a lot of other things failing but so far so good on the wrists. Maybe it's because I lift weights 3 or 4 times per week and have done so since I was 10 years old.
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I've just changed the first option (it was a little facetious  )
cheers,
Chris Maunder
VC++ - the language that doesn't say 'no'
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - isn't that what killed princess Di?
Oh sorry that was Car Pole Tunnel syndrome...
Dave Huff
Igor would you give me a hand with the bags?
Certainly - you take the blonde and I'll take the one in the turban!
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I'm British, so I should be deeply offended by that distasteful joke, but I'm not as I never did like the woman. Very good! 
____________________
David Wulff
hu·mour Pronunciation Key (hymr)
n. & v. Chiefly British
Dave's Code Project Screensaver and Wallpaper page.
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David Wulff wrote:
but I'm not as I never did like the woman
Why the hell not?
regards,
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and to be loved in return - Moulin Rouge
Tim Smith wrote:
Over here in the third world of humor (a.k.a. BBC America),
peterchen wrote:
We should petition microsoft to a "target=_Paul" attribute.
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Paul Watson wrote:
Why the hell not?
Because I am from a different generation, one that wasn't wowed by her beauty and ability to charm her way into the royal family; one that doesn't pull out the daggers and chant "treason" when a joke is made about her; one that really doesn't care who the hell she was. She did some great things, and by all means remember them, but she was not what the mass public believe she was. People love a good story... *sigh*
____________________
David Wulff
hu·mour Pronunciation Key (hymr)
n. & v. Chiefly British
Dave's Code Project Screensaver and Wallpaper page.
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Dave Huff wrote:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - isn't that what killed princess Di?
Oh sorry that was Car Pole Tunnel syndrome...
I cannot believe you actually posted that. However bad form, it is nonetheless funny.
regards,
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and to be loved in return - Moulin Rouge
Tim Smith wrote:
Over here in the third world of humor (a.k.a. BBC America),
peterchen wrote:
We should petition microsoft to a "target=_Paul" attribute.
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I am never shy about telling a joke that is in bad taste - usually involving the recently deceased or taboo subjects. About the only thing I haven't heard tasteless jokes about is 9/11 - everything else is fair game.
Dave Huff
Igor would you give me a hand with the bags?
Certainly - you take the blonde and I'll take the one in the turban!
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Dave Huff wrote:
I haven't heard tasteless jokes about is 9/11
You haven't? Jeesh, I have heard plenty. Get at least one a week in my inbox. At the moment though I just delete them, not yet time to forward them on.
Dave Huff wrote:
Igor would you give me a hand with the bags?
Certainly - you take the blonde and I'll take the one in the turban!
I think we need to give you the Most Politically Incorrect Member icon 
regards,
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and to be loved in return - Moulin Rouge
Tim Smith wrote:
Over here in the third world of humor (a.k.a. BBC America),
peterchen wrote:
We should petition microsoft to a "target=_Paul" attribute.
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My dad has been an industrial mechnanic for nearly 20 years now and he just developed it last year and had to have surgery. They caught it early so everything is ok.
It may take some time to get it, but you'll probably develop some sort of problem.
Jason Gerard
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Because i've never done anything about it, I had to say none. But the truth is I am off to a physio tomorrow and I've all but stopped coding at home because of pain in my neck and arms.
Christian
I am completely intolerant of stupidity. Stupidity is, of course, anything that doesn't conform to my way of thinking. - Jamie Hale - 29/05/2002
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Ouch, too bad you let it get that bad, but I hope you feel better quickly. 
--Mike--
Just released - RightClick-Encrypt - Adds fast & easy file encryption to Explorer
Like the Google toolbar? Then check out UltraBar, with more features & customizable search engines!
My really out-of-date homepage
Sonork-100.10414 AcidHelm
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Are your injuries related to working on the computer or all of the swimming and bike-riding that you have been doing lately?
Build a man a fire, and he will be warm for a day
Light a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life!
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I've swam twice, and the riding started *because* I was sore and hoped some other activity would help.
Christian
I am completely intolerant of stupidity. Stupidity is, of course, anything that doesn't conform to my way of thinking. - Jamie Hale - 29/05/2002
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...if trackballs are easier on the wrist than mouses? That little plastic rodent is really starting to get to me, & it'd be nice to have another option.
--------
You can change the extention so it reads ASP even though it is PHP which is kind of cool. - Martin Marvinski --Shog9 --
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As long as you have a nice wrist-rest, mouse vs. trackball shouldn't make much of a difference. I can't use a trackball (can't control the cursor at all) but I have a MS Intellimouse Explorer which fits my big hand perfectly, so I'd suggest getting a mouse that matches the size of your hand. (Of course, if you already know you will be fine using a trackball, never mind.  )
--Mike--
Just released - RightClick-Encrypt - Adds fast & easy file encryption to Explorer
Like the Google toolbar? Then check out UltraBar, with more features & customizable search engines!
My really out-of-date homepage
Sonork-100.10414 AcidHelm
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I've never used a trackball, that's why i asked. If they're difficult to control, i won't bother. I might try a wrist rest though, thanks.
--------
Life is fraught with opportunities to keep your mouth shut. --Shog9 --
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I'm using the MS Optical TrackBall and it's brilliant. Sure, it does take a bit of getting use to, but I find it's much easier on the wrists than a standard mouse.
Also a lot faster!
Cheers,
Simon
"Every good work of software starts by scratching a developer's personal itch.", Eric S. Raymond
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