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

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?

Comments

Hey buddy

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Re:Hey buddy

[ackthpt]

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.

Re:Hey buddy

[CohibaVancouver]

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If you've had the couch for over a year, I'm quite sure all of the 'gay germs' have died off and have instead been replaced by your 'homophobe germs.'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.

My take?

[Krojack]

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.

Re:My take?

[ErinL]

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.

Re:My take?

[m.e.l.l.e.n.t.i.n.e]

Maybe you should try laying down or get some sort of ceiling-mounted harness...

Re:My take?

[Skewray]

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.

Are those really the only choices?

[QilessQi]

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.

Re:My response

[swanzilla]

My response to that company:

"I quit, because you're a fucking moron. Have a nice life....chump."

+1 anthropomorphic