Date: Sun, 29 Jan 1995 17:46:24 -0500 From: Cynthia Mullens Subject: lightning in large rooms -Reply I am the ergonomics program manager at a DOE facility and answer an awful lot of complaints about glare. My suggestion is that you ignore the "rules of proper placement", because most workstations are too complicated, as you described. You have natural light, overhead light, desk lamps, under-the-shelf lights, etc to contend with. The goal is to reduce the glare as far as possible with complete elimination of it in mind. Glare is terrible....constant exposure from your screen can mean headaches, eye strain, and other symptoms, some of which you wouldn't normally expect to be caused by glare. So, here's a handy way to tell where your glare is coming from. With the computer terminal turned off and all the lights that are normally turned on operating, look at the screen. The offending light source will be reflected in the screen....you can see where the glare is coming from without the monitor's own light-up interfering. Then, when you know where the problem is coming from, you can take steps to eliminate it. Vertical blinds are best for windows. Parabolic louvers for overhead inset flourescent lights are great (the cells should be 1 inch square--not the big 6 inch square ones). Turn off offending task lights or desk lamps. You just don't need as much ambient light for computer work as you do for reading/writing. And my favorite is this (because so many people miss this and it is so simple) turn your monitor slightly away on its swivel or push the monitor's face down if the problem is the overhead light. Very few monitors these days are unadjustable. Some of them stick a little bit, but this always works for me. Stand in front of the monitor. Lay your hand or forearm across the top. Place the other hand at the bottom rear of the monitor. Push down on the top, push up from underneath at the back. Sometimes it helps to gently twist it from side to side, but the face will tilt down away from those lights. Also, screen hoods work in some cases, and there are lots of glare guards (use mesh types, not plastic or tinted glass ones since these reflect light, sometimes nearly as badly as the screen). For truly unadjustable monitors, slide a book or papers under its rear to slant the face of it down. Hope this helps. Cindy Mullens address follows: CMULLE@METC.DOE.GOV 304-285-4240 My observations, not those endorsed by the DOE Date: Sun, 29 Jan 1995 17:49:00 -0500 From: Cynthia Mullens Subject: another source of glare Another source of glare are glass tops put on wood tables to protect the fine, polished surface of the table. Sometimes wood table, if polished nicely and waxed, will also create a nice glare. Something to look out for....Cmulle@METC.doe.gov