Saturday, November 01, 2008

Back to the trackerball...

Despite assiduously attending aerobics, spinning and other fitness sessions at the gym, the RSI has returned again from three years ago - I have no idea why...so I have replaced the mouse with the trackerball, and have found COPING SUCCESSFULLY WITH RSI again and shall start on the exercises....

Writing a needless blogpost about this is the ultimate in irony, really, isn't it?

And I did so much want to write a review about a fascinating book I've just finished reading: DON'T SLEEP THERE ARE SNAKES by Daniel Everett. I know the linguistic conclusions are in dispute - but it is fascinating for all sorts of other reasons too. I am going to try and write about it on my lap top which I think might be easier.

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5 Comments:

Blogger Brian Clegg said...

Clare - I'm sure you'll have thought of it, but when I first started writing I got quite bad RSI.

The thing that fixed it for me was going to an ergonomic keyboard - this kind of thing http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000B9RYG8/491 where the keys are split into two chunks, one for each hand. It means your hands are straight on your wrists when you type, rather than angled, and the problem went away for me.

(It took a while to get back to touch typing, but now I do it as well on a split keyboard.)

Of course, won't work for everyone but it's worth trying if you haven't already.

Sun Nov 02, 10:03:00 am  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Thanks Brian, sounds like I should look into this...though to be honest I don't think it's the keyboard that' my problem but the mouse. I just haven't done that much typing recently.

Sun Nov 02, 03:19:00 pm  
Blogger Jim Murdoch said...

The trackball is not without its problems I'm afraid. With it you're keeping your whole arm fixed in the one position. I now use a mouse with my PC and a trackball with my laptop and I'm also learning more and more keyboard shortcuts to add to the mix.

My wife used an ergonomic keyboard for years. Her advice is to try it out first - it is very different, also if you're not a touch typist already you will have real problems.

Sun Nov 02, 04:04:00 pm  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Yes, Jim - a variety is best, I'm sure - handwriting,trackerball, mouse...or maybe abandon altogether - another option I'm actively considering at the moment!

Sun Nov 02, 04:22:00 pm  
Blogger pierre l said...

I don't much like the "abandon altogether" option, although your health is important, of course. May I point you towards a couple of posts written recently by one of the other bloggers I read, please?
howpublishingreallyworks.blogspot.com/2008/08/microphones-sennheiser-me3.html
followed by
howpublishingreallyworks.blogspot.com/2008/09/sound-pods.html
There are a lot of other references to Dragon software for dictating to your computer, but it's hard to tell which ones are just commercials.

Tue Nov 04, 12:09:00 am  

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