Francois Good posture, seating, etc is still worthwhile. I use a sit/kneel chair, for example, recommended for the back. On the human factors side - user interfaces if you will - oh yes, lots done in designing the equipment around ourselves. I worked on the user interfaces WG (I think we called them trailblazers) of the European Smartcard Charter some years back. A lot of good work on developing guidance, with a lot of people putting time in. But we never got sufficiently highly rated (other than technically) to fund further work directly. Tho' I think it was fed in and used thru CENELEC woorkshops or some such. I can't answer tho' for internet researchers - but suspect there's a lot out there who aren't on the list orking in this area. All the best Dominic nsenga@mediom.qc.ca wrote:

Dear Dominic and list

On one side, "office design and ergonomic work guides" ("seating height and geomtery right", etc.) are all experts prescriptions to end users on how to interact with internet (computer) hardware.

On the other side, there are those, apparently more and more among us now that the Internet use has become ubiquitous and (almost) universal, who utilize those kinds of equipments and, as one of the unintended and undesired outcome, experience physiological (and psychological!!) malaise, harm, "disease", ...

My question then is: how come there isn't, among the Internet researchers, any interest to conduct also research on this phenomenon of fitness of internet hardware with end users, with the aim to alleviate or find a cure to the "disease" that has or is becoming a real public health menace to many currently suffering in silence? Instead of dwelling in the usual complacency of always blaming the victims (ourselves!) who do not comply with the experts prescriptions, and/or who adopt "bad" or "inappropriate" work posture and habits? Are those software on physical exercises, like the two already suggested on the list, really THE only solution?

As users that we all are and for whom those equipments are made after all, shouldn't we rather be more knowledgeable in all levels of harm and threat of those equipments to our health, to our entire body and mind, and not only to arms wrists, eyes and spine? What, for example, about harm actually being caused to those in China and elsewhere dismantling electronic equipments to recuperate precious metals therein contained? Etc. Etc.

With such knowledge, we (Aoir researchers and laypersons, respectively each in one's own capacity) would thus be in a position to make explicit to manufacturers and to procurement officers our requirements for ONLY those equipments that are less detrimental to our health.

Regards

Francois Montreal

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