On Decorating Your Computer Room?

jaxle asks: "I wanted to ask the Slashdot crowd what they have in their computer rooms to make it less... dreary. I love having windows, but like me, for many of us I don't think that is an option. I have most of my computer stuff in the basement, and I find that my eyes usually get sore and I can't stand being down there any longer. So far I have a fish tank that I got recently which adds a nice ambiance to the room. I am planning on buying some plants too in the near future. Any body else have ideas or tell us how you decorate your computer room. Also, what kind of lighting most represents real sunlight?"

Comments

Full Spectrum Lights

[Bastian]

They might take special light fixtures, and the bulbs are expensive as hell, but they are well worth it.

For one, they last a long time. I'm not sure about the cost per unit of life, but if you find the right full spectrum bulb it shouldn't be much worse than incandesent.

For two, they really are like real sunlight. You'll all probably be much happier people (since you probably don't get to see much real sunlight if your office has no windows), and you'll get more vitamin D to boot. =D

Oh yeah, and the plants will thank you for it, too.

Re:Full Spectrum Lights

[cavedwler]

I agree. Full spectrum plant lights. That's what I have in mine. I use full spectrum florsecent plant lights you can buy at walmat. They have them in just about all sizes and you can use them in just about any florscent fixture.
I also have a window, but since I live in northern Germany, we don't get much light here in the winter.

Re:Full Spectrum Lights

[3waygeek]

Fortunately, you're in Germany; in the US, buying plant lights, especially in quantity, might get you a visit from the DEA.

Re:Full Spectrum Lights

[CharlieG]

Full Spectrum lights are NOT that expensive, and fit "standard" fixtures - Verilux is one brand, and even Home Depot sells some here in the states

My workshop at home is ALL full spectrum lights - VERY nice.

Another option (expensive) is HID lighting - Yes, like the cars. Fixtures are EXPENSIVE and throw a LOT of light

Whatever you do, remember to look at 2 numbers - The Color Rendering Index (aka, the CRI) - you REALLY want a CRI in the VERY high 80s or in the 90s - 100 would be perfect "sunlight". The best you can do is about 92

The other is color temp. It is the color of the light (relative to "Black Body" color). Standard Incandescent light is around 2700. Some of the "full spectrum" lights key as blue as 5500k - These are a close match to "noon sunlight", but make things look flat unless you do 2 things - design for it, and use a LOT of light

Believe it or not, the Light bulb Mfgs have some pretty good guides to GOOD lighting on their web sights. For NICE computer lighting, you probably want to follow some of their general ideas - I've actually spent money on this at my OFFICE (if I leave, I'll take the lights)

You want a medium level of ambient light - in my 10x10 office, I use a dual 2x24" florescent fixture doing an upward wall wash - gives MOST of the general light. Then I have a track light with 4 bulbs - One flood pointing at the cork board being my desk, one flood at the cluster of photos on the wall to my left, 2 spots pointing at the 2 photos on the wall in front of me (behind the visitors chairs). Then I have task lighting on my desk

Good lighting makes a difference

Eclipse Lights

[fobside]

I don't know how well Eclipse Workstation Lights mimick sunlight, but they're great on the eyes.

As far as designing a room, I always liked neat computer rooms. I like having a shelf with software boxes, all the peripherals neatly aligned, and a clean desk. It's weird. The rest of my rooms look like hell, but not my computer room.

Budget lighting solution

[CmdrJameson]

Augment regular (yellowish) lighting with one or two of those relatively cheap blue 'daylight' bulbs.

Also remember that the more adjustable your lighting (both in position/angle and in intensity) the more likely you'll be able to get satisfactory results. And when work is tedious, you can try to perfect the lighting configuration for literally hours. Always consider the all-important procrastination factor.

Ott Lights

[Danny Rathjens]

http://www.ott-lite.com/

A specially formulated blend of rare earth phosphors is used to create this unique illumination that looks and feels like natural daylight.

Air Quality

[Bush_man10]

I'm surpised that Air Quality wasn't mentioned here. I have all of my computer hardware in my basement too and I find that sometimes the air can get a little to dank. With the lack of windows in the room the poor ventalation I find really affects me when I'm working on my computer. Recently we installed a central air exchange unit in the house and it makes a huge change in my opinion.

My room is decorated...

[cr0sh]

...in a "funky" manner. I am not sure what to call it, perhaps "Techno-Renaissance" fits.

My room is relatively small (12' x 12'). I have a window behind me, but the blinds are drawn most of the time. My "desk" is a folding table, with a custom DC power distribution system mounted to the underside to deal with wall-wart issues (that is, I replaced my wall-warts with this system).

In a u-shape around me are black steel shelving racks I bought cheap at k-mart. They are actually composed of 1.5 units, so that they reach to the ceiling. They are bolted together and mounted to the wall to keep them from falling over. Underneath the window is a homemade wooden bookcase made from 1x12 pine, and stained in some brown-oak color. I have books and other things in all of these shelves.

On the top of the bookcase are various "knick-knacks" which evoke a "Renaissance-alchemist" feeling - a fake skull, an old-world style globe, a pewter mug, a glass goblet, and a wooden mortar/pestle. I have on one wall a large old-world style map (5' x 3' or so) in a wooden frame. On another wall I have a "spray-paint" artwork of space. I have another wooden shelf over my closet with other funky knick-knacks.

On my desk sits my monitor, kvm switch, keyboard, and scanner. Below sits my Linux box, and to my right sits my FreeSCO router/nat box for my network. All the wires for everything flow off the table and behind it down to the floor, and along the floor. Computer speakers are mounted to the wall, wires dangling to the floor and around my door to the computer.

I also have a desk lamp attached to the table, which is a magnifying lamp that I replaced the regular incandescent lamp with a compact flourescent type on. The magnifying lens allows me to inspect and work on various electronic projects where I need an "up close" look (I also can use the lamp to magnify small objects to take "up close" macro photos with my fixed-focus digital camera, which is handy). Adequate lighting is my only real issue - the lamp doesn't cut it sometimes (I can't really read by it well, unless I position it over the book). I have some regular flourescent lamps that I plan to attach to the metal shelves which should help, though.