© 1992 Lawrence I. Charters
AppleTree, December 1, 1992, p. 1.
Working With Displays: VDTs and Radiation Safety
Working With Displays: VDTs and Vision
Working With Displays: A User’s Guide to Better Keyboarding
Working With Displays: A Practical Guide for VDT Users, $1.00 each
These slim booklets are all published by the Center for Office Technology, a group founded in 1985 to explore and promote the proper use of, among other things, personal computers. Averaging 16 pages of text with lots of illustrations, none of the booklets take much time to read, but they do contain a wealth of information on proper use of computer equipment. In particular, they point out that most vision problems and physical pains routinely blamed on “the computer” are actually due to three main causes: bad furniture (or improper placement and use of the furniture), bad or inappropriate lighting, and lack of exercise.
The center is sponsored, in part, by Apple and IBM (and a whole bunch of insurance companies), so conspiracy theorists shouldn’t have any trouble dismissing these as nothing more than corporate propaganda. More open-minded souls, on the other hand, should find the suggestions on proper lighting, furniture and posture helpful. If nothing else, you may find the booklets good ammunition for convincing your boss to buy you an adjustable chair or convincing your spouse that a kitchen table is an inappropriate place to put a computer.
The Center also publishes a bimonthly newsletter, a videotape training package on proper use of a VDT (video data terminal, or personal computer), and a constantly growing series of studies on everything from the effects of ultra low frequency radiation to avoiding carpal tunnel syndrome.
Center for Office Technology
1800 North Kent Street
Suite 1160
Rosslyn, VA 22209
(703) 276-1174