Geek Spot Number 9 By Jeff Timm

Hi! I’m Jeff Timm, personal computer user since 1983. My wife Holly insisted I share my knowledge and answer your basic computer hardware questions.

Ergometrics and Cleaning.

Ergometrics: A technical term used by your doctor to justify the large bill for treating your back pain. You should put your computer in a place where it is comfortable to use. Use a comfortable chair that allows you to keep your back straight, your feet flat on the floor and your knees at a 90-degree angle (square corner.) With your neck straight and your chin up you should be looking at a point about 2 inches from the top of the monitor screen. Most of the screen should be slightly below your line of vision. (Exception: Bi-focal glasses. If you use the bottom half of your bifocals to see the monitor, it’s best to put it on the desktop (some people take the monitor base off and set the monitor on the table itself.) This allows you to keep your head in a comfortable position while looking through the bottom of the lens. Keyboard position. The keyboard should be located so your wrists are straight or slightly down. Resting your wrists on a hard surface is not recommended. Some people claim it’s healthy to have learned touch typing on an old manual machine. If you learned to punch out work on a manual you keep your wrists high for leverage and drive down on the keyboard (you may also wear out a keyboard more rapidly.) Mouse or pointing device: The keyboard and mouse should be on the same plane. That is your mouse should be next to the keyboard. Try to avoid reaching for the mouse. Copying documents: If you do a large amount of copying data, you may want to invest in a document holder that attaches to your monitor. These devices, available at your local office supply source, hold documents next to the computer screen. This means your eyes do not have to readjust when you look from the monitor to the document and back again. A final reminder Read The Fine Manual! Many user manuals for computers and monitors have tips on ergometrics.

Cleaning: A technical term describing actions that follow a friend, relative, family member or guest saying, "Your computer is filthy!" First: As always "Read The Fine Manual" and clean your equipment as recommended by the manufacturer. A few other tips and tricks. Make sure the power is off when cleaning equipment. Cleaning should be done at a time when you are through using the computer and can let it sit for several hours. This allows time for any stray droplets to evaporate off your circuit boards, just in case the liquid snuck around the corners. A mouse should be cleaned with a mouse cleaning kit to get the cat hair, out of the works. (Some optical mice do not require internal cleaning, and I’ll tell you about my trackball after I’ve had it a year or so.) The second step in cleaning a keyboard is to invert it (A technical term meaning turn it upside down) and tap GENTLY on the bottom to dislarge crumbs, small insects, other debris and tiny screws which fall out of your glasses. GENTLY shaking is also recommended. Regular vacuuming around the cooling slots on your CPU unit and monitor is recommended. Blowing it out with the vacuum reversed may cause damage by vibrating the flat connector cables inside. Once again, follow the manufacturers recommendation. The CPU unit should be dusted carefully and regularly. A note: Some tower cases have air intakes under the leading edge of the front. I recommend putting these cases on top a board. The ventilation fan on the power supply sucks air through the computer case and can turn your expensive computer into a vacuum cleaner, pulling all the loose fibers and debris from the carpet into the computer case! Remember: If you have to turn up the brightness on your monitor, it may be time to wipe the dust off the screen.