Ask Slashdot: What Recliner For a Software Developer?

Taxilian writes We've talked about office chairs before, but I'm one of those coders who tends to relax by doing more coding. Particularly when I'm short on time for a project, I like to move my work to where I am still around my wife and children so that I can still interact with them and be with my family, but still hit my deadlines. I have used various recliners and found that programming in them (at least in evenings) can be quite comfortable, but haven't felt like I really found the 'ideal chair' for relaxing and working on my Macbook.

I have found references to failed chairs (like La-Z-Boy Explorer, the so-called "E-cliner") that were intended for tech and failed, but are there any existing and useful options? I'd really like something that provides some sort of lap desk (to keep the heat from the laptop away from me) and reasonable power arrangements while still being comfortable and not looking ridiculous in a normal family room.

Comments

When only the best will do..

[Anonymous Coward]

The lounger from Idiocracy comes to mind. ;-)

Re:When only the best will do..

[mellon]

I have a chair that my wife refers to as the Wall-E chair. I use it with a reading table to hold my laptop, a bluetooth keyboard, and a trackball that sits on the arm of the chair. Works a treat. The chair is something like this: http://www.la-z-boy.com/Produc...

It's ugly, the construction is pathetically bad, I've had to screw it back together with drywall screws, but it is quite comfortable, and doesn't look _completely_ awful. I'm sure you could come up with something nicer, though.

The best seat in the house

[slashdice]

Sit on the toilet. You need to get a comfortable seat but you can work, shit, eat (I have a mini fridge within reaching distance), watch tv (I also have a tv mounted on the wall), pull your pud, whatever. And no pants required!

They don't call it a throne for nothing!

Re:The best seat in the house

[roger10-4]

I think you missed the part where he still wants the kids and family around... :)

Re:The best seat in the house

[tsqr]

you can work, shit, eat (I have a mini fridge within reaching distance), watch tv (I also have a tv mounted on the wall)

Didn't anyone ever tell you not to shit where you eat?

Re:The best seat in the house

[Hamsterdan]

Saves time. now you can make room for more food without even getting up.

Re:The best seat in the house

[flyneye]

Real men have a CAT-5 socket in the wall and toilet paper stacked on top of the server.

Re:The best seat in the house

[flyneye]

In with the good food, out with the bad, in with the good food, out with the bad....
For some, it's like breathing.

First World Problems

[astro]

You can't actually be serious? What? I like a good recliner myself, but as an Ask Slashdot this takes things to new lows.

Re:First World Problems

[QuietLagoon]

You mean even lower than the recent thread equating gamers to athletes?

Re:First World Problems

[Anonymous Coward]

You will not believe what comes next. Click inside to find OUT!!!

Re:First World Problems

[Jahf]

To "First World Problems" ... for enough people for it to matter, this isn't a first world problem any more than coding is a first world job (and these days it isn't). As someone with hereditary back issues since my teens that, after 25 years of pain and bad surgeries with severe complications, I am now on disability. I wouldn't have made it 25 years without an extreme ergonomic solution that I paid for out-of-pocket because until recently employers didn't recognize that even "ergo chairs" aren't enough.

For the original question ... you're probably not as bad off as I was. But if you're getting close you have a few solutions depending on how much you can spend (or get expensed). If you're not looking for this level of solution, hopefully the article attracted someone who did.

* Not a recliner, but for helping your back similar to how an exercise ball does but with more support for long coding, I have used a "SwingSeat" at my desk for a decade or more (http://www.swingseat.com/). This was good enough to get me by until the last round of surgery (which was actually a success) made it too hard to sit upright all day.

* A "Zero G" chair, like the ones by Human Touch (I use a Human Touch Perfect Chair), a bit pricey but not awful. Combined with a laptop table that can raise and angle the laptop you can actually do the vast majority of your work from a completely reclined position.

* For a desk, rather than reclining all the time, I assembled a custom desk from Anthro using their Console line that has a tray that can raise and pivot from sitting to reclining (which actually needs to be raised higher than sitting) to standing (great for those of you who don't have partial leg paralysis, good for me on rare occasions). The desk is HUGE but dang, it does everything. It is the Console with full pole extensions bringing it to almost 6' with monitors on a shelf 8" higher than the shelf that hosts the keyboard tray. Which means the monitors can raise up to standing position as well. I can, if I use a trackpad to avoid mouse problems, use this in combination with the Perfect Chair as a rigged solution similar to the next one.

* I couldn't afford this, or at least I could have before I needed it, but can't now. But if you can, the desks from ErgoQuest are perfect. And some of them are inexpensive enough to be not tooooo awful on the budget (if I had the money I spent on the SwingSeat, Anthro Console and Perfect Chair I could afford an ErgoQuest). You can -sometimes- find these on Ebay but not usually from someone willing to ship and often not for significantly less than having the right one built to your specs.

Re:First World Problems

[jeffmflanagan]

>A "Zero G" chair, like the ones by Human Touch (I use a Human Touch Perfect Chair),

Wow, the table part of those chairs is about the price I'd expect the whole chair to be, and the chair costs as much as a decent motorcycle.

Re:First World Problems

[cdd109]

Thanks for the tip. Swing Seat looks awesome

Re:First World Problems

[X-Ray Artist]

First World, Third World...Why don't we ever hear anything about the Second World?

Re:First World Problems

[mellon]

Asking fellow geeks what chair they sit in sounds pretty on-topic to me.

Re:First World Problems

[swilly]

The definition of First, Second, and Third World are not based on wealth, but on ideology. Second World countries are those that are industrialized and socialist (though in practice it referred only to communist governments).

You don't hear much about them because back in the early 90's there was this series of events that resulted in the collapse of most of the Second World. The independence of the Baltic states and the Ukraine, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. You may have heard of some of these, as they were a big deal at the time.

The major Second World country to survive these events is China, but North Korea would also be considered a Second World nation. I've heard of a proposal that we repurpose the term Second World to refer to developing nations, which works well since it's the natural term for nations moving from Third to First World status, but this hasn't been adopted yet (probably because developing countries don't want to be associated with the old Soviet Union).

Re:First World Problems

[morethanapapercert]

Click here for the easiest way to enhance your revenue!

The one weird trick basement dwelling slashdotters don't want you to know!

Re:First World Problems

[oursland]

Well, then you're an ignorant twit. That is the definition of the term and it's derived from the Cold War alliances: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F...

Re:First World Problems

[ranton]

That is one of the stupids things I have ever heard.
Ofc the distinction is made on wealth and general development, otherwise most people would consider the USA a second or third world country.
North Korea is in many eyes not even third world, but close to fourth. The situation is complicated as it is wealthy enough to have a noticeable military.

You should at least use Google before commenting on something you know nothing about. First/Second/Third world distinctions have nothing to do with wealth. It has to do with whether you align yourself with NATO, the Communist Bloc, or neither. This isn't one of those debates where there are two sides; it is very clear cut.

Re:First World Problems

[angel'o'sphere]

Yeah, someone linked me the english wikipedia article.
And it contradicts definitely the definition we use in Europe and Scandinavia ... there was never a east or west or south or nato relation in the definition.
Half the NATO where second world countries when founded ...
Sorry, perhaps UK/US always had a different definition, but I would believe more that it recently changed and the Wikipedia article is either at least inaccurate or simply wrong :) BTW: I specialized in politics and geography in school (besides math and physics) and a main topic there is development aid ... but perhaps my teachers where 'communists' and simply did not agree with an East versus West definition?

Re:First World Problems

[lsatenstein]

To "First World Problems" ... for enough people for it to matter, this isn't a first world problem any more than coding is a first world job (and these days it isn't). As someone with hereditary back issues since my teens that, after 25 years of pain and bad surgeries with severe complications, I am now on disability. I wouldn't have made it 25 years without an extreme ergonomic solution that I paid for out-of-pocket because until recently employers didn't recognize that even "ergo chairs" aren't enough.

For the original question ... you're probably not as bad off as I was. But if you're getting close you have a few solutions depending on how much you can spend (or get expensed). If you're not looking for this level of solution, hopefully the article attracted someone who did.

* Not a recliner, but for helping your back similar to how an exercise ball does but with more support for long coding, I have used a "SwingSeat" at my desk for a decade or more (http://www.swingseat.com/). This was good enough to get me by until the last round of surgery (which was actually a success) made it too hard to sit upright all day.

* A "Zero G" chair, like the ones by Human Touch (I use a Human Touch Perfect Chair), a bit pricey but not awful. Combined with a laptop table that can raise and angle the laptop you can actually do the vast majority of your work from a completely reclined position.

* For a desk, rather than reclining all the time, I assembled a custom desk from Anthro using their Console line that has a tray that can raise and pivot from sitting to reclining (which actually needs to be raised higher than sitting) to standing (great for those of you who don't have partial leg paralysis, good for me on rare occasions). The desk is HUGE but dang, it does everything. It is the Console with full pole extensions bringing it to almost 6' with monitors on a shelf 8" higher than the shelf that hosts the keyboard tray. Which means the monitors can raise up to standing position as well. I can, if I use a trackpad to avoid mouse problems, use this in combination with the Perfect Chair as a rigged solution similar to the next one.

* I couldn't afford this, or at least I could have before I needed it, but can't now. But if you can, the desks from ErgoQuest are perfect. And some of them are inexpensive enough to be not tooooo awful on the budget (if I had the money I spent on the SwingSeat, Anthro Console and Perfect Chair I could afford an ErgoQuest). You can -sometimes- find these on Ebay but not usually from someone willing to ship and often not for significantly less than having the right one built to your specs.

I sympathize with you. But different folks need differing solutions. I used the Staples recliners, and tilted them to different degrees, adjusted arm heights, changed heights, and even tried ergonomic chairs as prescribed by Chiropractors. I bought what was defined as a programmer's chair.

Still, I had cramps in the legs, burning sensations on my hips, and general back fatigue.

In the end, the $7.00 flat resin chair from the hardware store was the best solution. I bought a cushion for it, and it was the best investment I made. There are no wheels, and there is no height adjustment, just a cushion. I have no more backpain, no carpal tunnel pain for my arms and I am without the back issues.

My three other fancy chairs are now collecting dust.

Eames lounge

[Noxal]

Pick up an Eames lounge chair and ottoman. Yes it's expensive. Yes it's worth it. You'll thank me later.

Re:Eames lounge

[PopeRatzo]

I bought a ruined Eames chair and ottoman at an estate sale a decade ago. Cost less than a piece of junk from an office supply store. Took a little fixing, and it's not pristine, but man, for the past ten years it's been my second favorite place to sit in the house. It's my first favorite place to sit where I can't also relieve myself. Actually, I could relieve myself while sitting in the Eames chair, but my wife would probably beat me with a rolled up newspaper. Again.

Re:Eames lounge

[MrYingster]

Came here to say this. Glad to see others agree.

I grew up with a knock off that My dad purchased ages ago, and even as a knock off, it's my favorite place to sit when I visit his house. Amazon sells real nice looking knock offs for about $600, but I can't vouch for their comfort...

Re:Eames lounge

[ottothecow]

I've sat in some relatively high end knock offs that were not very comfortable.

The real thing has a way of moving with you...some of the knockoffs don't. If I were going the knockoff route, I would want to make sure I got one that felt like the real thing, rather than a "higher end" one that used better quality materials but didn't feel right.

Re:Eames lounge

[matria]

I spent 5K on a sewing machine...still sitting on an old wooden school chair from the dump to work at it, though. Never found anything more comfortable.

This strikes me as spectacularly unhealthy.

[spads]

Are you sure you have realistically evaluated this activity as quality with your wife AND children? Just be sure everyone's on board with this!

Note: this is opposed to the original (snarky) response which occurred to me, which was that probably a recliner would not afford significant relaxtion in comparison to a quart of whiskey! :)

Re:This strikes me as spectacularly unhealthy.

[Taxilian]

Are you sure you have realistically evaluated this activity as quality with your wife AND children? Just be sure everyone's on board with this! Note: this is opposed to the original (snarky) response which occurred to me, which was that probably a recliner would not afford significant relaxtion in comparison to a quart of whiskey! :)

Oh, certainly I wouldn't call this quality time with my wife and children! It's more along the lines of "better a little poor quality time than no time at all". I do also of course spend time *without* the computer, but I prefer to be with my family as much as possible. This is for the times when the alternative is not seeing them at all.

Re:This strikes me as spectacularly unhealthy.

[TWX]

Heh. I've got a cheap netbook up in the family room to use in the evenings, and I'm sitting on a reclining Lazboy and it's really not as comfortable as one would think. I find using computers, even portable computers, at desks or tables to be much more conducive to getting results.

Re:This strikes me as spectacularly unhealthy.

[Ravaldy]

I hate to deviate from the original question but what kind of programming do you do that you can be just sitting in a chair behind a MacBook?

Maybe what I program is more involved as there is no way in hell I could do any coding without being completely isolated from the constant nagging that comes from being in the family setting. I can't see any programmer doing a solid job coding modules with that many distractions around them.

I'm far more productive behind a desk and to make sure my family doesn't suffer from my numerous hours of work, I try to do my work after they all go to bed. Just my 2 cents. No point sitting in the living room if you're going to be a zombie or if your work will turn to crap because you got too many distractions.

Re:This strikes me as spectacularly unhealthy.

[Taxilian]

I do most of my work behind a traditional desk or on a treadmill desk (where I am now). It depends on what I'm doing. I do a lot of different types of work, and I actually find that most of the time I do fine on most things with other people around. My kids are still small and happy with a few minutes here and there, and my wife just likes having me nearby after they go to bed. I find different developers (and even myself on different projects) do well in different environments. Sometimes I want to be alone, with headphones on, isolated, and sometimes I like having a bit of background chatter. Sometimes I like to sit on a recliner with a laptop, and sometimes I plug it in and use 3 27" displays on my desk. Sometimes I walk and work, sometimes that's too distracting. I find that I need some variety.

Re:This strikes me as spectacularly unhealthy.

[Belial6]

Different people need different environments to concentrate, and different families provide different environments to those people. I can say for myself, I concentrate better when there is human voice chatter around me. Voices that I don't have to respond too. Other people work better with quite music. Some with blaring death metal, and then there are those that need absolute quite. The absolute quite folks seem to be the ones that have the hardest time understanding that not everyone is like them.

First things first...

[QuietLagoon]

I'd shop around for a recliner that suits me, one that I feel comfortable in, one that doesn't tip over when I go all the way back. To keep the heat of the laptop from frying my family jewels, I'd use a Lapinator or something similar.

.
Keep it simple. If you try to satisfy too many requirements with the chair, you'll wind up with something that has compromises all over the place, and you won't want to sit in it.

Get a chair that is comfortable for you, then use other items to meet your other criteria.

Re:First things first...

[cruff]

Ekornes Stressless recliners are very comfortable, and have a swiveling table (Stressless PC-table) that holds a laptop, but can be moved out of the way when you don't need to use it.

Re:First things first...

[EvilSS]

Get a chair that is comfortable for you, then use other items to meet your other criteria.

100% agree with this. Find the best chair, then find the best laptop support option. No all-in-one solution is going to beat that.

Re:First things first...

[Belial6]

In the spirit of keeping it simple... A few years ago, I took a month long road trip with my family. We rented a mini-van and she would drive during the long streatches of nothing while I worked from the back. After the first day in, it became apparent that the laptop on my lap wasn't cutting it. So, we stopped at a K-mart and I bought a big wood cutting board. It worked awesome. It was flat so It packed pretty well. It was very sturdy. It had the groove around the edge designed for catching liquids that worked very well for keeping pens and whatnot from sliding off the edge. Plus, when we would get to a stop, I could lift it up and set it on the seat next to me without having to rearrange anything. That way when we were done looking at the sights, I could get back in the car and get started back to work without any setup.

All in all, it was the best lap board I have ever used. To this day, my son still uses it when he wants to use his laptop while sitting on the couch. Storage consists of putting in the small space between the end of the couch and the wall.

Re:First things first...

[920]

I came here to say this. These things are AMAZING! The really nice part is the headrest actually keeps moves to help keep your head in the proper position while it's reclining.

Don't do it

[tato (and tato only)]

As someone with both a recliner and a herniated disc, I say don't do it. A recliner forces your back into the worst possible posture. Your back is too important, so protect it.

Re:Don't do it

[DutchUncle]

Second the motion. Though my herniated discs may be in different positions than yours. A recliner is very comfortable while I'm still, and then when I try to get up I pay for it.

Re:Don't do it

[EvilJoker]

I disagree. I had a herniated disc a few years ago (possibly caused by recliners, no way to really tell), and for a while, a recliner was the only way I could get relief. Leaning back took pressure off of that specific spot. At the time, I could not stand or walk unassisted, and sitting upright was very painful.

Fortunately, this has been completely resolved for me, but the lesson it left me was very clear - if it hurts, stop doing it. I fully agree, your back needs to be a top priority when selecting a chair.

It is not only about a chair...

[Max_W]

Buy a silent mouse, which is used for recording studious. A quality silent keyboards. And most important the best monitor you can afford, and use it as a second display for your notebook.

Plus the fiber-optic internet access.

A good chair and a foot-rest will not harm too.

Automotive bucket seat

[TWX]

Or save a whole bunch of money and go to the junkyard to get the high-backed bucket passenger front seat from a comfortable car. Build a base for it to sit on, and use that base as the means for attaching the shelf for the keyboard and pointer.

Go with the passenger seat because it's usually less worn. If you're feeling inventive you can go with a powered seat, but those are usually biased toward the driver rather than the passenger.

Re:Automotive bucket seat

[gmarsh]

I've done this - I had a Toyota Cressida chair in my house, with a SLA battery and trickle charger hooked up to run the power seat bits.

However, I'll warn that it's hard to construct such a thing without making it look ghetto. Eventually, spousal acceptance factor led to the demise of the chair.

Budget?

[ArhcAngel]

Depending on your budget for the chair one of MWE Labs Emperor chairs should meet your needs.

Re:Budget?

[Taxilian]

... Wow. =] That looks very cool, but not really conducive to operating a laptop without being cut off from the rest of the room

Re:Budget?

[ArhcAngel]

For the price they are charging I'm sure they would sell you a wife and child seat attachment ;)

Re:EZ Table

[Taxilian]

I had not seen this product before; awesome! Best of all, it looks like it could actually be a useful addition to a variety of seating types, not just in the recliner.

Programming with a broken back

[James-NSC]

I broke my back a decade ago and kept working throughout. I built - well, I oversaw as I couldn't move - a custom rig using a wall mount for a small TV that, when inverted could hold a laptop upside down in just the right position over the hospital bed I was in for the next six months.

Since then, being comfortable while working is paramount to my survival - I've searched and searched, but in the end, if you want something that works just right *for you*, you're going to have to either build it from scratch or find something close and customize to fit.

For a recliner, if it's against a wall, you could go the TV mount route and have something that swings out when you need it - otherwise you can build a support on one side - recall that you have a lot of room under the chair for giving the side mount a large footprint so it's stable.

Good luck.

Re:Programming with a broken back

[Taxilian]

Interesting ideas!

What you need

[dskoll]

I find a lot of developers need a recliner like this one.

Re:What you need

[Taxilian]

I have one of those too -- and I use it! Still want the recliner... =]

Why sit...

[balaband]

....when you can walk?

I have a custom setup similar to this for over 2 weeks. Very happy with it.

Re:Why sit...

[Taxilian]

I have a custom one that I built; it's great! It doesn't fit in the living room upstairs, though.

Home made version`

[gurps_npc]

http://imgur.com/a/OLfQ5 Interesting, but probably a bit more work than you wanted. But I liked the flip up set up.

Re:Home made version`

[Taxilian]

LOL. Now *that's* what I'm talking about.

I want this one....

[KraigGeise]

I have been searching for this very thing and your question made me go out and look. This is what I want: http://gravitonus.com/lang/en-... Now to get my boss to buy it for me.

The Seat Of Power

[lazarus]

This is the recliner you've been looking for.

You're welcome.

Seriously?

[BarbaraHudson]

Particularly when I'm short on time for a project, I like to move my work to where I am still around my wife and children so that I can still interact with them and be with my family, but still hit my deadlines.

If you're working against deadlines, etc., you can't be doing it right while still interacting with your wife and kids. And you won't really be interacting with your wife and kids all that well either. Try the kitchen table. The kids can do their homework at the same time in the same place, and your wife will appreciate the time you've freed up by HER not having to watch the kids do their homework for a change.

But really - you're giving the recipe for poor code and poor home life.

Re:Seriously?

[Belial6]

You know what they say... "A miserable, lonely, uncomfortable worker who is missing his family is a productive worker!"

Re:Cheap Alternative

[pla]

This is definitely in my list as a "plan B" -- but silly though it sounds, it strikes me that *someone* should have come up with something by now... I can't be the only coder who spends time working on a recliner.

I don't know if anyone else did it before, but as of tonight, I plan to try it myself. What a great frickin' idea!

...Though I think I'll start with the GP's suggestion before I buy a $600 specialty chair. :)

Car seat

[bjs555]

Car seats are built for long term comfort so the idea of using one at a computer has always interested me. Here's an article by a guy who actually built one:
http://www.arrickrobotics.com/...
It's not real pretty but I'll bet it's comfortable. Maybe someone can come up with a better looking design.

I have a solution that works for me

[gerald.edward.butler]

I use a standard recliner loveseat (dual recliner). I sit on the left side with my mouse on a hardbook or and a mouse-pad (wireless) next to me on the seat on the right. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse (Logitech MK700/MK710 & MK705 - comes as a kit) with the wireless keyboard in my lap. I have the laptop on a wooden stand on my left-front, a 32-inch Sony LED TV directly in front of me on a coffe table, and a third monitor (Samsung 24") mounted on an arm that attaches to a similar wooden stand that I have the laptop sitting on to my right front (basically almost in front of the other seat, but, closer). I use the 32" TV that is enough in front of me that I can get the foot rest up when I want to (I often change from up to down from time to time; otherwise, legs get tired). The monitory on my right I can move the swing arm around as needed and out of the way when I get up and down. My wife can still sit next to me and read or mess with her phone or tablet and talk to me to a certain degree. It's the best set-up I've been able to find that allows me to work productively for long hours while minimizing eye-strain, neck strain, leg strain, etc. Hope this helps.

Think outside the box (er, chair) - try a standup

[msclark]

After three decades of programming from a chair, I switched to a stand-up desk this year. It is better for health, posture, and programming focus. It takes discipline but there is a payoff, especially for us older coders. I still do laptop coding around my family from comfy chairs, but I'm now upright for the hard-core office work.

Don't let the PHB see you in one

[Joe_Dragon]

Don't let the PHB see you in one or you may be let go.

The best way is to just space out at your desk.

Re:Don't let the PHB see you in one

[MattGWU]

Waitwait........"space out"??

Re:Think outside the box (er, chair) - try a stand

[Taxilian]

This isn't for office work; I have a normal desk and a treadmill desk for that.

Re:The real question is...

[bjwest]

Spending quality time with family does not mean constant interaction between all parties. Just being in the same room, while each does their own thing, is quality time. If something pops in your mind, you're right there to discus it. Likewise if there's something your children have on their mind, you're right there.

This is where the family room developed, and it's also exactly what the current "social media" crap is trying to emulate.

Re: Look at this one...

[jddj]

God, I love my BarcaLounger Craftsman II. It's beautiful and comfy. Probably awful for my back, but as a chair to flop with a laptop, wonderful.

The tall-ish wooden arms make it crap for noodling on a guitar, and the arms slope, so no good for a place to put a soda. You'll want a side table. You`ll have to improvise a place for an outlet strip, but hell, if it's a laptop, you need to exercise the battery for maximum working life anyway, right? Or attach the outlet to the side table and leave your georgeous chair unscathed.

There are knockoffs of this chair, that look just like it, but aren't nearly as comfy. I know: I wanted to buy a knockoff 'cuz it was convenient, would ship with the rest of our furniture, but no, had to go back for the real thing, haven't regretted it for a minute.

If the family ever comes apart, we'll negotiate for most everything in the house, but not this chair. it's coming with me.

It's part of the "Woodland Reserve" collection in "Vintage Reserve" on BarcaLounger's very 1990s-looking web site, http://www.barcalounger.com/

Typing this on a recliner

[kbahey]

I work from home, and have been using a recliner as my only "desk" for about 6 years and have the following to share ...

- My recliner is a La-Z-Boy. Can't remember the model since it is has been many years, but it is not something fancy. I tried leather for a little while, but it can be sweaty and sensitive to even your finger nails. So I have been using fabric.

- If you recliner has a wall behind it, then move it away from the wall a bit so it can recline back.

- Your LEGS (calves and feet) will feel better on a recliner.

- Use a pillow or something to support your NECK. It will feel better.

- Watch for your BACK. Put a stiff-ish wide pillow below you if you feel like you bottom is sinking in the chair. Also, put another stiff-ish wide pillow behind your lower back. Experiment with different pillows until you find the right combination.

- Avoid any FANCY back support that curves your spine too much. These are the most common ones on the market in my experience. This includes the wire frame lumbar support mesh thingies (they aerate well, but will hurt your back because of too much spine curvature), or those cylinder shaped hard pillows.

- Use a LAPDESK (those foam filled sacks with a vinyl covered plywood surface).

- Get a table that is level with the arm rests beside you so you can easily sip your beverage of choice, and have some handy items too (pens, paper, mobile phone, ...etc.)

- You will be absorbed in whatever you are doing, so interaction with the wife and kids will be mostly "huh? what did you say?" or "later, I am focusing on something else here" ... Not quality time ...

Just a word of warning

[CityZen]

If you make it too comfortable to be sedentary for long periods of time, you'll need to find ways to balance yourself with appropriate exercise. Too much comfort (or too much of anything) can be bad. It's all about the balance.

Back exercise helps you in several ways: makes sleep more comfortable, makes it easier to have good posture, prevents you from hurting yourself when lifting/pushing things, and generally keeps you from deteriorating faster than you ought to.

(I can't say enough about good posture, either: it helps you breath better, and it looks so much more attractive than most alternatives.)

Re:Just a word of warning

[TeknoHog]

If you make it too comfortable to be sedentary for long periods of time, you'll need to find ways to balance yourself with appropriate exercise. Too much comfort (or too much of anything) can be bad. It's all about the balance.

Just get a stand-up desk and be done with it. I'm not saying it will completely replace the need for all exercise, but it goes a long way. It'll also help you take real breaks from the computer.

Re:Just a word of warning

[Crudely_Indecent]

I wish I had mod points because you make several very important statements.

To add to your good advise, I'd say that back exercise is also very important for anyone who has already had a back injury. I've slipped a disk three times. The first time was lifting something that was too heavy for me to lift (I did it, but paid for it and continue to pay for it). Now it's weakened in that area, it comes out easier now. My back exercises and stretching help me to reduce the chances of recurring injuries as a result of my now weakened back.

After my first injury, I spoke to my boss and informed him that I would periodically (maybe a couple of times per day) need to slip off to stretch for 10 minutes or so. Several times I'd have co-workers walk into a conference room for an impromptu meeting only to find me laying on the floor stretching my lower back with a towel on my feet. Since they had seen me walk around for a week using a cane, they understood - but the first few times asked if I needed help. I just said, "no thanks, this IS my recovery"

Re:IMO Good question

[FatAlb3rt]

He specifically said MacBook, not "laptop". /s

Re:Ekornes Stressless

[TheDayOfMe]

If you have an unlimited budget then you might consider one of these...

http://www.ekornes.com/us/stressless-recliners

Awesome chairs and if you poke around on the site you will find a laptop-specific table.

That's what I'm using right now. There are attachable side tables and laptop stands that go with them.

When we were looking for a replacement lounge setting we spent a few days trying out everything around town. These were the only thing that we both felt comfortable in and had the flexibility for TV watching, being able swivel to face each other and use a laptop. They also great for naps.

Re: Really Relax Recline Retire

[Mister Liberty]

I'm one of those coders who tends to relax

Of those coders who tends to relax, he is one?
Maybe instead he should retire?

Eames lounge

[Anonymous Coward]

2 to 5K for a COMPUTER?

I could go on freaking holiday for that amount of money.

Isn't it odd how different things can cost the same amount?

Then spend time *with* your family!

[msobkow]

If you're going to spend time with your family, spend it *with* them!

Dad sitting around with his head in a screen and clacking away on the keyboard is *not* "spending time with your family."

Aside from that, you'd be far more productive to spend, say, 7-9 with the family while the kids are up and then focus on work for another couple of hours before going to bed. Interrupted work is not productive work; you're just putting in time and fooling yourself that you're "productive".

back when I couldn't afford a desk

[ihtoit]

I had a completely custom high-back executive chair with drop-on brackets for notebook, cup holder and trackball on the arms, fitted speakers (5 point surround)... the seat was so deep I often found myself waking up in it, and I never once kicked the laptop off.

My setup

[nickmalthus]

I had a similar idea and ended up with this setup:

• A Rooms to Go leather power recliner
• A $50 adjustable medical stand from amazon
• A 27 inch monitor that is placed on the medical stand. I optionally mounted a second monitor by attaching a monitor arm to the medical stand.
• A 10ft HDMI cable
• A wireless keyboard and mouse

The recliner has a little space between the bottom of it and the floor so I can move the medical stand with the monitor on it in front of me at a fairly close distance. I can also recline the chair with the monitor in front of me and easily swing the stand out of the way with minimal effort. I place the wireless keyboard on my lap and use the mouse on the medical stand. I am a tall person with a long reach so this may not work for others. After almost two years of use I have had no ergonomic issues. I can move the monitor slightly off center so that I can double task and code while casually observing a tv show or movie with my wife. It has worked out very well for me and the complaints from my wife about me working too much have diminished significantly.

Layz working for me

[JoeSilva]

Due to a disabled partner i've had to work from the living room Lay-z-boy a fair amount. They don't make the model we have any more (pity), the closest now looks to be The Carlyle Low Recliner/. Get a board that spans the arms and is deep enough, makes a fine desk to hold a laptop, though you will need to hold up your arms a bit maybe. Workout while you code.

FYI if you run into back issues or just want to relax even more get a LapDawg X4 and set it up to hold your laptop above your chest at an angle while lying on the floor, with a pillow behind your head. Best to have an Ottoman to prop up the feet. Worked great when I was recovering from a bulging lumbar disc and been great to stop that from coming back.

Efficiency tip

[Snufu]

Throw the food directly in the toilet. Cut out the middle man.

Not recliner

[the eric conspiracy]

Really you don't want a recliner. What you want is a tilt back chair and an ottoman.

The reason is that it is impossible to properly build a recliner with a good frame and spring structure. The reclining mechanism forces too many compromises to the structure of the chair. The result is the structure just doesn't provide the same support or durability that a proper chair does.

As far as suppliers, it's hard to argue with the quality of Hancock and Moore. Really first rate stuff.

ORLY?

[hoboroadie]

I find ergonomic chairs to be the very most important issue in the entire panoply of tech issues.
YMMV, but A.C.s suck, with their ill-considered comments, don't they?

Re:ORLY?

[flyneye]

Ergonomic?
Maybe this could be hacked. http://www.aliexpress.com/stor...

Jacobsen Egg Chair

[richardtallent]

This is one of the most comfy chairs I own, reproductions are affordable, and they are gorgeous. The recline is comfortable while still allowing non-desk work (the Eames is *too* reclined for my taste), the arms are wide enough to curl up in, and the back is high enough to support your head. Many reproductions allow adjusting the recline tension.

You'll need to supply your own power and a stand for the laptop.

Re:Jacobsen Egg Chair

[serviscope_minor]

Ah someone with excellent taste I see!

The look amazing, though you have to have vaguely appropriate decor. It doesn't have to be a complete homage to the 60s, but it you don't have a vaguely modernist look it will look a little out of place.

Next you need to get a complete set of Jacobson cutlery and nick a few plates from 'catz.

Recliner angle will damage your back

[UpnAtom]

I've been thinking about going a bit more horizontal a la http://www.via.fr/agora-produi...

Having your back completely horizontal with your legs raised (with much of your weight supported at the knees) may be much better but more difficult to climb into. This is a position I was advised to use by a back consultant after damaging my back and I found it extremely helpful.

For about 12 years, I've used a stand-up desk and high sloped stool because it compels me to move around if I get uncomfortable from standing in a bad posture.

recliner? how 'bout a cardboard cutout...

[Fubari]

my work to where I am still around my wife and children so that I can still interact with them and be with my family, but still hit my deadlines

If you want to be with your family, be with your family. Read a book to your children. Play a game. Do something with them.

So... just what kind of interaction are you going to have with your "wife and children" while you're working on a deadline sitting in your recliner? Maybe this will help you more than a recliner: https://www.lifesizecustomcutouts.com/CustomCardboardCutout.

When I want to spend time with my family or my friends, I make it a point to leave my ipad turned off, my smart phone in my pocket, and my laptop closed. If I get a phone call I need to take, I excuse myself and go take the call and come back when I'm done. I find it pretty rude to "spend time" with anyone whose attention isn't there; if I'm putting my tasks and goals aside to spend time with people, I expect them to do the same for me.
And when I need to get work done, I focus on that.

Oh well... at least you've got the whole proximity thing going for you.