My brother is completely anal about the placement of his keyboard and mousepad. He’s got them set in exacts position on his desk. Move either just a fraction of an inch and he'll freak out, which I mistakenly did yesterday. I suggested using tape to mark the corners so he could reset them easily. I'm guilty of some of my own Tech OCDs, and you may be too!
Me personally, I absolutely cannot have my second computer monitor on my right - it has to be on my left. It’s as if my head can’t turn to the right and stay there and function. This means though that in every room setup the desk has to be positioned such that the monitors can go to the left.
I also have to click the “screen off” button on my iPhone, even though it’s set to go off automatically in a few minutes. Sure, I could say I’m doing it to save on the battery life, but really I just can’t stand the idea of not being able to visually confirm the screen going off. The vibrate only / sound off gets me too - I toggle it off and then on and off again, then constantly press down on it again and again - “just to be sure” it’s off.
How about you? What are your tech OCDs and what are your tips for handling it?
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Comments (9)
I purposefully move stuff around constantly. Mouse on the left, back to the right, keyboard slid over to make number entry easier (and then not move it back), etc. Does that make me anti-OCD?
@EddFear - maybe skitzo? <j/k> :)
I am always slapping peoples' hands away from touching the screen... but that's just common sense.
@mrs_mouse - ooh goodness i hate when they do that!
- desktop has to be cleared and only certain icons shown (small size) positioned vertically on the right side of the screen
- all cookies and cache need to be fully cleared from browsing history before I power down
- 5.1 surround sound speakers must be positioned at correct distances as my audio configurations are set for my seating arrangement
- Nothing unnecessary is to be left on my desk, all items are stored and organised in the desk draw
- I have to encrypt every drive I use not merely password protect it in case of theft and make several copies of each file
I have others but they are more preferences rather than OCD tendencies. =]
I totally understand your brother's placement needs.
When my KB, mouse or monitor get out of place, my sitting and working position changes. When I've worked a long stretch at a time and something is out of place I've ended up with a killer neck or back ache.
If everything is right where it needs to be I can work much more comfortably.
I suspect your monitor placement corresponds with your mouse placement. For me, at least, it's more comfortable to turn my head opposite the arm/shoulder that's currently moved forward to mouse. I'm a left-hand mouse, right spare monitor kind of gal.
I ate it when people sit things on top of or in front of speakers, not only does it make everything look worse it hurts the sound too.
Not tomention a vase of water can spill on the grill cloth or paper cone of an older speaker and it will either stain or deteriorate. Ruining a rare vintage peice.
@adam re: cookie and history clearing - hiding something? ;)