COMPUTER FILE / LAWRENCE J. MAGID : How to Get the Most Out of Your PC
A record number of consumers brought home personal computers this holiday season. But people are funny. They’ll spend days picking out the perfect computer, only to take it home, plop it on the dining room table, pull up an easy chair and go to work. Wrong.
Whether you’re a novice or an experienced user, it’s important to make sure your system is set up properly. Here’s some basic advice to protect you and your equipment.
Be sure your PC and other hardware are plugged into a grounded, three-pronged outlet. That protects you and the equipment. I have all my equipment plugged into a power strip with a built-in surge protector that I got at a hardware store for about $10.
Assembling your PC isn’t difficult, but be gentle when plugging the monitor into the main unit. I once bent the pins on my monitor cable. Turn off the machine while you’re plugging in (or unplugging) any printers, monitors, keyboards, mice or other devices. I once fried a laser printer that way.
Hopefully, all the internal components were pre-installed by your dealer. If you must take apart the computer to install a board or disk drive, make sure the machine is unplugged. It’s a good idea to discharge any static electricity on your body by touching a grounded object such as a radiator or faucet before you handle any components.
Finally, don’t make the mistake of spending a lot of money on state-of-the-art equipment only to skimp on your chair and desk. These items protect the most important part of your system: you.
Paying attention to ergonomics will not only make you more comfortable, but can help prevent injuries, backaches and eye strain.
It’s recommended to use a chair with an adjustable seat height and back rest. The chair should be comfortable and offer plenty of back support. Prices for ergonomically designed chairs start at about $200. Haworth, a leading office furniture company, recently introduced its Accolade line of chairs, which come with an IBM-compatible floppy disk that shows how to adjust the chair. The disk also provides useful information on ergonomics and proper posture. One section has animated illustrations that teach stretching and other office warm-up exercises. Prices for the chairs start at about $400, but you don’t have to buy a chair to get the disk. For a free copy, call 800-344-2600.
You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a computer table or desk, but it should be the right height and big enough to store all your equipment. Writing desks and kitchen tables are too high for most people. If you’re about average height (plus or minus a few inches) get a desk or table that lets you place the keyboard about 25 to 28 inches from the floor.
Another option is to buy a keyboard drawer that attaches to the underside of a table, lowering the height of the keyboard. The American National Standards Institute recommends that you sit with your feet flat on the floor, your back straight and your upper arms loose at your sides. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor at about a 90-degree angle. These are general recommendations, though, not hard and fast rules.
Most computer desks are fine when it comes to the table height, but beware of those that have a special shelf for the monitor. They often place the monitor too high, which can cause neck and shoulder strain. Your monitor, ANSI says, should be positioned so that you’re looking almost straight ahead, with your chin tilted down slightly. Don’t look too far down, because that is also hard on the neck and can strain your eyes.
To avoid glare, set up your system at a 90-degree angle to any windows. If that’s not possible, get shades or curtains to reduce direct sunlight. Try to place your lamps so that they don’t reflect on the screen. You can also cut down on glare by getting a glare filter for your monitor. The cheap ones, which are simply mesh, tend to darken the screen. I prefer those with polarized glass lenses. Kensington Microware (800 535-4242) sells anti-glare glass filters for about $100.
Other than these few precautions, my primary advice is to relax and enjoy your new PC.
