The Fugue

I came across this article this morning. It is a well-supported discussion of ergonomics, and where and why they've gone wrong in the past. Of most interest is putting the monitor down low, and they make a pretty good case for it. Look at the image and imagine the lower monitor instead as an LCD attached to the keyboard. Look familiar?

I may have to reconsider my plan to put the monitor up at eye level. I'll have to pay more attention to things as I use my laptop. My primary concern is not dipping my head forward, which isn't great for the neck. But, I haven't had much discomfort in using my laptop as primary computer for the past couple of years, aside from elbow/shoulder discomfort because of sinking into the couch (not a problem when at school with a chair and desk, although the desk is a tad too high). A comfortable banana chair (with a high enough back to support my head) is sounding promising. What do you think? Is the monitor low or high better in your anecdotal experience?

Incidentally the bit about indirect lighting is spot on. My favorite is indirect outside light (window orthogonal to monitor), but a natural white bulb in a task light pointed upwards towards the wall in a dark room works well too. Anything but those blasted flickering overhead fluourescents.