[Air-L] have I discovered a new disease?

[nsenga at mediom.qc.ca]

Dear Dominic and list

On one side, "office design and ergonomic work guides" ("seating height and
geomtery 
right", etc.) are all experts prescriptions to end users on how to interact
with internet (computer) hardware. 

On the other side, there are those, apparently more and more among us now
that the Internet use has become ubiquitous and (almost) universal, who
utilize those kinds of equipments and, as one of the unintended and
undesired outcome, experience physiological (and psychological!!) malaise,
harm, "disease", ...

My question then is: how come there isn't, among the Internet researchers,
any interest to conduct also research on this phenomenon of fitness of
internet hardware with end users, with the aim to alleviate or find a cure
to the "disease" that has or is becoming a real public health menace to
many currently suffering in silence? Instead of dwelling in the usual
complacency of always blaming the victims (ourselves!) who do not comply
with the experts prescriptions, and/or who adopt "bad" or "inappropriate"
work posture and habits? Are those software on physical exercises, like the
two already suggested on the list, really THE only solution? 

As users that we all are and for whom those equipments are made after all,
shouldn't we rather be more knowledgeable in all levels of harm and threat
of those equipments to our health, to our entire body and mind, and not
only to arms wrists, eyes and  spine? What, for example, about harm
actually being caused to those in China and elsewhere dismantling
electronic equipments to recuperate precious metals therein contained? Etc.
Etc. 

With such knowledge, we (Aoir researchers and laypersons, respectively each
in one's own capacity) would thus be in a position to make explicit to
manufacturers and to procurement officers our requirements for ONLY those
equipments that are less detrimental to our health.

Regards


Francois
Montreal


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