[rescue] [Slightly OT]: Desk/Tables for multiple computers

[Michael Parson]

On Tue, Jul 19, 2005 at 10:55:30AM -0400, Charles Shannon Hendrix wrote:
> Mon, 11 Jul 2005 @ 14:31 -0400, Nadine said:
>
>> I like the idea of those aluminum folding tables, but I'm short, and
>> really need a keyboard tray on top of a low work surface.  This has
>> been a real problem in my work offices.
>
> I'm not short, and generally it kills me to have a keyboard on the
> same level as the desktop.
>
> Either that, or the keyboard trays used are such crap that it hurts to
> use them for long.

Never found a keyboard tray I could use.  I'm 5'7" and generally have
the keyboard on the desk/table, with the monitor on a stand of some
sort so I'm looking straight into the screen, not down or up at it.  If
possible, the screen has a slight downwards tilt to it, to minimize
glare off the lights in the ceiling.

> But what really ticks me off is how they arrange office furniture so
> that my back is to the door of my area.  I *hate* that.
>
> I want to face any incoming paths, but a lot of cubicles are put
> together so that your back is to the opening.

Hate that too.  A few gigs back, we never really got out of
startup-mode.  The folks that sat out in cube-land just had cubes for
dividers, their desks and stuff weren't cubicle desks but regular office
desks, so they all turned them around so they were facing out while
sitting in their cubes.  They had to squeeze by on the sides, but they
all seemed to prefer it that way.  They could also just look up and
ask the person across the walkway a question w/o anyone having to turn
around.  (I was in an office, so I didn't have to deal with that).

Suckiest cube arrangement I had was the gig after that.  We were ALL
in these phone-center cubicles.  Not even cubicles, more like just the
corner of a cube, back was open to a walkway, just enough space on your
desk for your monitor and keyboard.  IT was near the main entrance, so
nearly EVERYONE in the company walked past my desk multiple times during
the day.

> The other one that bothers me is walls that are just high enough to
> be in the way, but too short to offer you any reason for them to be
> there.  I think 4-5 foot walls should be banned.

We've got those here.  Hate them too.

-- 
Michael Parson
mparson at bl.org