Ask Slashdot: What's Your Take On Stand-Up Desks?

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Ask Slashdot: What's Your Take On Stand-Up Desks?

Posted by timothy on Thursday September 6, 2012 @04:55AM from the desks-that-won't-rat-under-pressure dept.

An anonymous reader writes "I work at a non-profit that doesn't have the resources to automatically bend to each and every whim. However, I've been told that I can't use a cardboard box to put my computer on, for OSHA and fire prevention reasons. So the choice is, sit down for nine hours each day or else get a standup desk to the tune of 500 bucks or more. Is this worth it? Can I make one myself? Anything to know before I get in deep?" There are lots of home-grown stand-up desks out there (search IKEA Hackers for "stand-up desk" if that's your aesthetic leaning), and some ready-made ones from plainish to very expensive. If you've used a stand-up desk, what are your thoughts?

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Hey buddy by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-06 04:57 · Score: 5, Interesting

Have you looked in the trash? People throw out perfectly fine furniture all the time. I picked up an extremely sturdy carpenter-built bookcase in the trash. It didn't have shelves but I found enough particle board to make shelves.
1. Re:Hey buddy by ackthpt · 2012-09-06 05:16 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Have you looked in the trash? People throw out perfectly fine furniture all the time. I picked up an extremely sturdy carpenter-built bookcase in the trash. It didn't have shelves but I found enough particle board to make shelves.
  If your trash heap doesn't have what you need, have you considered Goodwill stores? I'm frequently amazed what I find in them. Money goes to good cause, as well.
  
  --
  
  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
2. Re:Hey buddy by SQLGuru · 2012-09-06 05:25 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  The things most frequently offered for free off of Craigslist are matresses (eww!), couches, and desks. You should be able to get a couple of desks and use the materials to create a custom desk fairly easily.
3. Re:Hey buddy by ackthpt · 2012-09-06 05:42 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I've thought about buying a used couch, but you never know what went on on the thing.
  Ghosts of Beans. Thousands and thousands of them.
  
  --
  
  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
4. Re:Hey buddy by crazyjj · 2012-09-06 06:30 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Bah, a little Febreze will get the smell of OD'ed meth addict right out.
  
  --
  What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
5. Re:Hey buddy by CohibaVancouver · 2012-09-06 08:02 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Over a year later I'm sitting on it and my hand feels a small 'bump' between the foam seat cushion and it's zippered cloth cover. I tell him, we unzip it and I reach in and pull out a mostly empty tube of a sexual lubricant that (from the name on the tube) was obviously marketed to gay men.
  If you've had the couch for over a year, I'm quite sure all of the 'gay germs' have died off and have instead been replaced by your 'homophobe germs.'
  
  Have you ever stayed in a hotel? News flash: 500 people had sex in your bed before you slept there.
6. Re:Hey buddy by Bigbutt · 2012-09-06 08:29 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  All at once!
  [John]
  
  --
  Shit better not happen!
My take? by Krojack · 2012-09-06 04:59 · Score: 5, Insightful

That I get tired of standing and want to sit down... That's my take.
They are nice for a workbench but not a computer desk unless you're always moving between several different stations. Stock Market stuff comes to mind.
In the end, sitting for 9 hours is bad but also standing for 9 hours is bad. Need to find that middle road and balance it out.
1. Re:My take? by frostfreek · 2012-09-06 05:03 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Standing for 9 hours is Very Bad.
  I managed to give myself Plantar Fasciitis when I used a standing desk, due to a different injury that makes it painful to sit.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_fasciitis
2. Re:My take? by ErinL · 2012-09-06 05:16 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  I've connected two monitors, two keyboards and two mice to my computer. One set is raised, for working standing up, and the other is on my desk. I stand at times and sit the rest of the time. This works great for me.
3. Re:My take? by m.e.l.l.e.n.t.i.n.e · 2012-09-06 05:22 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Maybe you should try laying down or get some sort of ceiling-mounted harness...
  
  --
  
  Producer: NEXT!!
  Ralph Wiggum: Chicken necks
4. Re:My take? by Skewray · 2012-09-06 05:34 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I've connected two monitors, two keyboards and two mice to my computer. One set is raised, for working standing up, and the other is on my desk. I stand at times and sit the rest of the time. This works great for me.
  Clever. I have two mice, two monitors, and two keyboards as well, but I use one mouse+keyboard for each hand and one monitor for each eye. Then I can work and read Slashdot at the same time.
They have their uses....fans...foes... by raydobbs · 2012-09-06 05:01 · Score: 4, Insightful

...like anything else. People with certain back conditions find sitting for any length of time would probably relish the idea of being able to stand at work for the entire period - while others would find it akin to torture to stand for nine hours straight. Sitting puts pressure on the base of your spine, but standing on hard floors is pressure on your feet and knees. Six of one, half dozen of the other.
As long as your aren't FORCED to use a stand-up desk because someone figures they take up less space or that it prevents you from falling asleep at work; then they can be a good thing. If it's a half-baked idea at further cost effective micro-management bullshit - then count me out. And set that manager on fire. Now.
Are those really the only choices? by QilessQi · 2012-09-06 05:01 · Score: 5, Insightful

You said:

So the choice is, sit down for nine hours each day or else get a standup desk to the tune of 500 bucks or more.
Sorry, but what about just standing up to stretch and walk around every few minutes? I hack code at a traditional desk, but I'm certainly not chained to my chair. Walk around, go to the water cooler, talk to your peers, go outside for lunch. Even if you had a stand-up desk you should still move around a little.

--
Koans and fables for the software engineer
Height-adjustable desks by yourexhalekiss · 2012-09-06 05:05 · Score: 4, Interesting

The desks at my work are on hydraulics, so they can be raised or lowered at will. It's great to be able to raise your desk and stand for a while after sitting for a couple hours, but I wouldn't want to have to be forced to stand all the time.
The desks get high enough that I can push my high-backed office chair underneath it, and low enough to get probably two feet or so off the ground. It's a great compromise between having to sit or stand the entire day.
Kmart special by TheSHAD0W · 2012-09-06 05:28 · Score: 4, Interesting

I wanted a standing desk for a cheap PC in my workshop, for looking up parts and reference, etc. I wound up going to Kmart, purchasing a cheap narrow PC desk with a roll-out keyboard rest, and a TV stand, and screwed one on top of the other. The result worked out well, with plenty of storage below the PC, and can roll around well.
Re:Why cardboard? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-06 05:30 · Score: 4, Funny

"in fact, I used to often work from a kneeling position"
BOOM!
Re:My response by swanzilla · 2012-09-06 05:41 · Score: 5, Funny

My response to that company:
"I quit, because you're a fucking moron. Have a nice life....chump."
+1 anthropomorphic

--
0 = 1 + e^(Alt something)
Re:Or bricks? by pkinetics · 2012-09-06 07:25 · Score: 4, Funny

Bonus points if you work at a USPS facility and use old mail crates...
He said he worked at a non-profit... oh wait...