Slashdot Mirror


Using Your Laptop In Bed

ryanaip writes "The New York Times has an article looking at the social implications of technology in the home. Specifically, the problems a spouse can face when their loved one is working in bed." From the article: "As electronic devices get smaller, people tote their technology around the house more than ever. And as the number of home wireless networks also grows, laptops — along with Treos, BlackBerries and other messaging devices — are migrating into the bedroom and onto the bed. The marital bed has survived his-and-her book lights and the sushi-laden bed tray. Can it also survive computers that tether their owners to the office or make the bed the workplace itself?"

38 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. Sorry I'm on the phone by saskboy · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can't come to the Slashdot right now, because I'm on the phone with my girlfriend. Please leave a comment after the beep, and I'll get back to you right away.

    What's this about technology interfering in relationships? It's the only reason I have one right now cause she lives 3 hours away!

    --
    Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.
    1. Re:Sorry I'm on the phone by winkydink · · Score: 4, Funny

      I can't come to the Slashdot right now, because I'm on the phone with my girlfriend.

      Because the restraining order says I have to stay 500 feet away from her

      Please leave a comment after the beep, and I'll get back to you right away.

      Unless you are my probation officer. In that case, forget what I said about "girlfriend". I'm really talking to my sister.

      --

      "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

    2. Re:Sorry I'm on the phone by SP33doh · · Score: 5, Funny

      ExCuSe Me BuT wAhT pArT oF dA sOuTh Do Ya LiVe In?

  2. You're doing it wrong by voice_of_all_reason · · Score: 4, Funny

    Step 1: Give partner a reason to put the laptop down and pay attention to you
    Step 2: ???
    Step 3: Profit

    This is not rocket science, people.

    1. Re:You're doing it wrong by dadragon · · Score: 5, Funny

      You're clearly not a parent. You don't profit from step 2. Step 2 has serious financial obligations for at least the next 18 years!

      --
      God save our Queen, and Heaven bless The Maple Leaf Forever!
    2. Re:You're doing it wrong by Agthorr · · Score: 5, Funny

      If you're a parent, it means you forgot step 2.

    3. Re:You're doing it wrong by Bjornar.Simonsen · · Score: 4, Funny

      1. Get your girlfriend on MSN 2. Have cyber sex as foreplay 3. Proceed with the 'real thing'

  3. Why Slashdot? by andrewd18 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why the hell is this being posted on Slashdot? It's not like having spouses angry at us for using the PC in bed is ever gonna affect us. Either we won't get a spouse, or she'll be too busy surfing the 'net on her own laptop to care.

    1. Re:Why Slashdot? by saskboy · · Score: 4, Funny

      "I think she'll care when you're looking at pr0n instead of her."

      Except you'd be looking at porn of her, on your laptop, while she makes it in the bed next to you on her laptop.

      --
      Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.
    2. Re:Why Slashdot? by SanityInAnarchy · · Score: 4, Funny

      Scary, but could happen. I have IMed people from across a room before -- or a house.

      Mom: Call your brother for dinner:
      Me(IM): Dinnertime
      Bro(IM): OK
      Mom: Were you going to get your brother?
      Me: Already did.
      *bro walks in*

      Another story, I don't know if it was real -- guy chatting hot and heavy with someone, they phone each other, then she says "Look outside..." His wife, sitting in the car with her laptop and her cell phone.

      Other frightening possibilities -- I'm used to working with a manpage ready. So, Laptop+Manual...

      Ok, enough. Let's apply our creativity to things that won't remove us from the gene pool.

      --
      Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
    3. Re:Why Slashdot? by photonic · · Score: 4, Funny

      Reminded me of this great commercial from a Dutch campaign that warns children of the dangers of webcams. Guy is camming with some hot girl on the internet and is then called for dinner. Guess who he was camming with ... (worksafe)

      --
      karma police: arrest this man, he talks in maths; he buzzes like a fridge, he's like a detuned radio. [radiohead]
  4. I sleep in my bed by Anonymous+Crowhead · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's all I ever use it for. Sleeping. Oh, and falling asleep. And I guess waking up. And, you know, with the wife. I use my bed for bed-type related activities. No TV, no computer, no phone. Those aren't bed related activities.

    1. Re:I sleep in my bed by human_err · · Score: 5, Funny

      Welcome to /. where using a bed for sleeping is modded insightful! :P

    2. Re:I sleep in my bed by Mad_Rain · · Score: 4, Informative

      One of my jobs as a grad student involved working at a sleep research lab at Stanford University, and I get questions from a lot of people about insomnia (it's part of my job). I usually point them to this page of Dr. William Dement who wrote a number of books on sleep (go do your own Amazon.com research ;) ). The page lists about 10 other things you can do to help with your sleep. Give that a try for two weeks, get into that pattern, and your sleep should improve.

      --
      "What do you think?" "I think 'What, do you think?!'"
  5. The Title of the article... by Jsutton1027w · · Score: 4, Funny

    It just sounds so dirty. Besides, I have to wonder, how could you....never mind.

  6. Sweet! Now I can work in bed by ben+there... · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've always wanted to feel what it was like to be a prostitute!

    1. Re:Sweet! Now I can work in bed by Kadin2048 · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's like consulting, only with more sex.

      --
      "Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
  7. You have to set boundries by thewiz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    My wife and I are both computer professionals. We have iPods, laptops, etc but we agreed that electronic gadgets (including TVs) would NOT be allowed in our bedroom. Our bedroom is for sleeping, sex, and private time together. Work stays at work; home is home. Don't let the gadgets run your life or ruin your relationship.

    --
    If "disco" means "I learn" in Latin, does "discothèque" mean "I learn technology"?
    1. Re:You have to set boundries by rmadmin · · Score: 5, Funny

      No gadgets in the bed room? BORING! We have pleanty of battery operated "gadgets" in our bed room. And we both enjoy them quite a bit. >:)

    2. Re:You have to set boundries by cperciva · · Score: 4, Funny

      Thus spake thewiz:
      Our bedroom is for sleeping, sex, and private time together.

      Am I the only person who finds it concerning that thewiz felt that it was necessary to list "sex" and "private time together" separately?

    3. Re:You have to set boundries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I hope for you they aren't powered by Sony Li-ion batteries.

    4. Re:You have to set boundries by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 4, Funny

      What? You got a problem with explosive orgasms?

      --
      This guy's the limit!
  8. Sleep Hygiene by Skudd · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sleep Hygienests will argue that doing anything in the bed, outside of sexual activity or sleeping, is harmful to your sleep habits. It will "pollute" (for lack of a better word) your mind such that you are expecting to do something other than sleep in the bed, which will cause your mind to be stimulated each time you enter the bed in the same manner it was stimulated when you were doing whatever you were doing, be it reading, watching TV, or surfing the Internet.

    1. Re:Sleep Hygiene by SanityInAnarchy · · Score: 5, Interesting

      So why does sex get a free pass? Wouldn't that train you the same way?

      --
      Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
    2. Re:Sleep Hygiene by ring-eldest · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Sex has some built-in controls, as well as being considered socially as an appropriate bedroom behavior (at least in most cultures). Let's look at this "training" a little more closely:

      It's more appropriately referred to as classical conditioning, and it's best spoke of in SR psychology terms. You don't want to pair the bed stimulus with any non-bedroom behavior, or you risk fucking up your sleep. You're right, though, sex is not exempt from this s-r pairing-- you might find yourself becoming aroused when laying down to sleep, even if your wife is not there (and therefore there is no evolutionary reason for you to want to procreate) it is only a conditioned response from the previous pairings of bed and sex.

      Now, for the built in protection: you either have sex, or masturbate. It's not as risky as say, watching TV, eating, or doing other non-bedroom behaviors, because unless you have an abnormal sexual appetite, sex/masturbation does not have to be a massive time consumer. There is a definite beginning/ending to sex, as opposed to the other behaviors, so when you're done, you're done. Go to sleep. (note that it's 3:00am just about, and I'm reading slashdot and posting a response. Damn. I know I should have had sex instead.)

  9. It is not just the bed.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I have my main computer in the family room. My wife typically hits bed at 10-11pm, me, about 12-2am. I am using my computer until then. Since I am not in the bed, at least she can sleep and I will not be bothered to "put that computer away".
    Okay, so our time is spent apart from 8pm on, is that a problem? She likes to watch TV and use her computer as well, I like to use mine. We happen to be in separate parts of the house. I can tell you that she does not like when i hit bed much later then her and try to wake her up so we can spend a few really close minutes together ;) I try that about once a month and typically get told it is too late and to go back to my computer if I want to some tits and ass. We have modified our typical sex time to a few times a week between 7-8pm during the week (just after dinner but before we go our separate ways) or any convenient time during the weekend depending on where the kids are.

    For reference, our 17th anniversary was last week, we got married just after high school.

  10. Kinky by Aardpig · · Score: 4, Funny

    Pretty neat, eh? Just imagine projecting a keyboard and screen on your lover's[*] back. You could read Slashdot while drilling for oil! Just make sure you're not using a Sony battery.

    [*] No, I didn't say girlfriend. After all, this is Slashdot.

    --
    Tubal-Cain smokes the white owl.
  11. Not if you have a waterbed by grahamsz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've got my wireless AP in the basement and I get Excellent coverage all over the house, but the second i move it over the bed the water blocks the signal completely.

    It's probably better that way, but i'm just amazed how a relatively small amount of water can completely destroy the signal. I haven't tested it in the bath yet - how good is Dell Completecare?

  12. Sushi? by JourneyExpertApe · · Score: 4, Funny
    "The marital bed has survived his-and-her book lights and the sushi-laden bed tray."


    Where was I when people were serving cold rice dressed with vinegar and garnished with raw seafood on a bedside tray?
    --
    If you can read this sig, you're too close.
  13. Yes, yes it can by IANAAC · · Score: 4, Insightful
    The marital bed has survived his-and-her book lights and the sushi-laden bed tray. Can it also survive computers that tether their owners to the office or make the bed the workplace itself?"

    This is just stupid. Really.

    Yes, of course it can survive. Most reasonable people in relationships realize that there is a need to separate work from personal.

    Therefore, they'll most likely have a separate work area, which could even be part of the living room. Hell, if you've got kids, you probably already have an area of the family room/den set aside for the family computer.

  14. An exception to every rule... by Gerocrack · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Add a little Bliss (http://www.gamesforloving.com/), and the laptop becomes a welcome guest in the bed.

  15. Priorities by davidwr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you love {your computer | the internet | insert favorite toy/hobby here} more than your spouse, you have a problem.

    Solving that problem is left as an exercise for the reader. Answers may vary.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  16. The Core Issue of this: by Tavor · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Is that people are so busy anymore as to need to take a laptop to bed, to vacation, or such. Not to sound like a luddite, but really. Why do people not take a good book to bed, or pay attention to their partner? It's not like one is getting paid to work through bedtime or vacation.

    --
    Windows has detected an undetectable error.
  17. It's... complicated by MikeRT · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Selfishness has become par for the course in American culture. You can have it all! It's all about YOU!!!

    American culture has become a cesspool of me, me, me attitudes. And you know what I see, working in Northern Virginia around a lot of very wealth middle age people who are like this? Nothing but unhappiness! The happiest people I know are the ones who aren't that well off, but have rejected modern values for sacrifice and committment in their families and marriages.

    We will all die someday. When you are on your deathbed, are you going to be happy that you had a great career that forced you to stay away from your wife and kids? How about you, ladies. Are y'all going to look back fondly on the years you had kids, but even though your husbands could support your family, you worked anyway because "feelin fullfilled" meant more to you than being close to your kids as you rasied them? Then you wonder why they don't know their parents and act lost or are embittered to parents whose priorities were all fucked up.

    I have news for you, modern America. The reason you are fucked up and rotting from the inside out is that you have no soul. It is not all about you in the here and now. When you get married, you are responsible to uplift your spouse and take care of them, even if you don't "feel love" toward them right now. When you have kids, they are your priority, not your job and "need to feel fullfilled." That means that you don't work more than you need to to provide and be secure in the future. Drive the damn Scion tC instead of the Lexus if you have to.

  18. I DO!!! by Freaky+Spook · · Score: 5, Funny

    She's called sxcgrrl182, I just paid off her car loan a month ago and she's been too busy driving it she isnt on IRC anymore, I hope she comes online again soon

  19. Our bedroom is the same way by melted · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's why I work and sleep on the couch in the living room.

  20. The heat! by LiquidEdge · · Score: 4, Funny

    All that heat on your crotch CAN'T be good for the swimmers.

    --
    Saving the World: One Drink at a Time
  21. It's the only way... by TheSpatulaOfLove · · Score: 4, Funny

    Using this MacBookPro in bed is the only way I can warm up that cold hearted bitch!