Howard Young » Search Results » mouse

I'm Loving my new Under Desk Keyboard Tray

Howard Young — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 07:14:23 +0000

Computers don’t suck after all! I claim this after working comfortably for most of the day without much pain in right wrist due to my keyboard adjusted at a lower level after I installed a keyboard tray underneath my desk.

Decades of an unergonomic work environment really caused severe tenosynovitis in my wrists and right shoulder. For whatever reason, the inflammation reared it’s ugly head with such intensity that work was nearly impossible. Ten days after giving blood, the pain was bad enough to seek medical help because the 1600 mg of Advil a day just wasn’t reducing the inflammation anymore.

I guess my mind was playing tricks on my, but with the bluish-yellow bruise from the blood donation, my only thought was that it was infected and the source of the pain. Just tenderness and slightest touch in the area was magnified 10 fold due to the tenosynovitis.

Luckily, there was no infection or blood clot. Just continue on the anti-imflammatories until the pain subsides. Some physical therapy to boot.

Sorry, I digressed, but to make the point clear, an ergonomic environment really reduces this type of injury and makes it easier to recover while continue working.

I splurged and installed an HumanScale keyboard tray because in my honest opinion the best that I’ve ever used. This is the second one I installed in the house.

My original plan was to install keyboard trays underneath the built-in desks in our home office. But I never got around to it because I liked the keyboard on top of the desk even though it was awkward and never quite the right height and position.

I took about an hour to install. I’m sure that anyone else could have done it faster. It just took me about 15 minutes to find the tools that I’ve left scattered all about the house. The 1″ thick desktop is dense and even after drilling starter holes, I had trouble attaching the base plate while laying on my back.

With base plate screwed to the bottom of the desktop, you then add the back rubber stoppers, insert the sliding adjustable keyboard mechanism and then the front stopper. The tray comes with cable attachments so your mouse and keyboard wires are kept out of the way. I use the wireless Microsoft Natural Mouse so there is no mouse wires to worry about.

An additional feature about having a under desk keyboard tray is that you get an extra 2 square feet of desktop that you can now use. My desk should be nice and clean which should make me and my wife very happy!

Life Span of a Mouse

Howard Young — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:29:01 +0000

Today was the first day I had to change the batteries in my Microsoft Natural Mouse. The two Energizer AA batteries that came with the mouse ran out of juice after about four months of use.

The mouse got a new life with some old 1800 mAh rechargeable batteries I found in the garage. (I hope the batteries still hold a charge!)

The Microsoft Natural mouse took about 3 days to get comfortable with due to its ergonomic size and shape but I have less pain in my wrist than I ever had before.

Eventually I ended up getting one at the JOB because the cheap mouse they bundle with computers today basically suck. They have a horrible shape and feel to them. That cold plastic and dove-bar shape is nothing to get excited about.

I expect I’ll be replacing the batteries in the mouse at work next month sometime if the battery life is about the same.

The Natural is Very Natural

Howard Young — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:45:39 +0000

At the time of my last post, The Natural is not so Natural, I was having some difficultly getting use to the Microsoft Natural Mouse. But after a few days, I’m finding out that the pain in my wrist is going away!

I’m also holding unnatural mice at the same angle as the Natural Mouse. I just need to get a new mouse for every computer I’m using…

– Howard

The Natural is not so Natural

Howard Young — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 03:54:38 +0000

The only bad thing about I.M. Mortal III, is that Dell provided a mechanical mouse with a ball. I’ve been using the same optical mouse for about 5 years now with out any problems.

With the old style ball mouse, I would have to take out the ball and clean it every 3 months and then toss it out only to buy a new one after a year.

I splurged and bought a Microsoft Natural Wireless Mouse 6000. The “Natural” is an ergonomic mouse designed to keep the pressure off your wrist. It’s taking a little time to get use to the position but if it reduces the pressure on my wrist, it’s worth the price.