Best Chair For Desktop Coding? 742
wifeoflurker writes "Can someone give me recommendations for a desk chair to give my husband as a Father's Day gift? He currently uses a cheap one he got from Office Max, but I want him to have a really comfortable one. He spends his life in this chair (coding and lurking on Slashdot). I don't have time to research good chairs on the internet today (I'm chasing my 10 month old around, and she seems to get into the most mischief when I'm staring at the computer screen), so I figured a few folks here might share their personal recommendations." Has there been any great progress in the state of the art (of sitting) since the last time readers sought recommendations for back-friendly chairs a few years back, or the perfect computer chair nearly a decade back? Is there even such a thing as a back-friendly chair, or should we all be in astronaut-style lounge workstations?
Broyhill (Score:2, Insightful)
The Broyhill Giannelli Leather Executive Chair. I'm not a small guy, and I've always had a lot of issues with chairs. Even the 'big man' chairs they sell at Office Depot would break with me (I'm rough on them apart from being heavy, I lean back, a lot, and HARD, I've snapped several chairs backs.)
This one is $250. Pricey? Hell yeah. After breaking several $100 chairs, though, I figure it's worth it. It's very comfortable and feels incredibly sturdy. It looks great too, my gf encouraged me heavily because it looks a heck of a lot better than any other chair I've ever had, so it doesn't upset her fung shui.
Other options (Score:3, Insightful)
Not everyone is the same! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:5, Insightful)
The one thing the Aeron is great for is that it's a mesh, so you can sit on it when you get back from a bike ride without feeling like you're going to soak the padding with your manly sweat. This is the reason I haven't just spaced the thing.
I hear that the new Aerons are better, but I haven't personally seen any evidence that this is true. So I would really check this out carefully before buying.
And honestly, I'd run this by him. You're going to spend a lot of money to get him a good chair, and chairs are a very personal choice - what works for one person won't work for another. Also a lot of advice you get on ergonomics from chair stores isn't correct, so if you buy a chair based on that advice, you could wind up with a $500 albatross.
What I would personally recommend is that you just tell him you want to get him a chair, and research it with him. If you don't have time, get him something else. This is a really nice idea for a gift, but it's not an easy one.
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:3, Insightful)
The 2 best ways to spend money in your office: 1) monitor and 2) chair!
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:3, Insightful)
By the way, this might not be the best choice for a "surprise" Father's Day gift. Chairs are a very personal thing -- especially the Aeron, which comes in 3 sizes -- and it really is best to actually sit in one before you plunk down a major wad of cash for it. While I've loved the Aerons I've used, I've always been within shouting distance of someone who couldn't stand them.
Re:*blink blink* (Score:2, Insightful)
Simple, here you go, (Score:5, Insightful)
Take him there, treat him like a king while it he gets the measurements and adjustments done.
He can pick out all the colors he wants.
After words a nice meal with some good drinks.
When the chair gets delivered, put the 10 month old down for a nap and fuck your husband in the chair.
You now have the perfect, favorite chair.
Re:Swiss Ball! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Herman Miller Aeron... (Score:3, Insightful)
Seriously, +4 Informative? _INFORMATIVE_??? I could see +4 funny perhaps, but no way is that informative.
wooden chair (Score:3, Insightful)
the stupid office chairs they give us at work just kills my shoulders and back. I even hate those aereon chairs (I borrowed one for 3 days).
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:5, Insightful)
Family Friendly hasn't done crap for shareholders, IMHO.
I ask this somewhat rhetorically and certainly drunkenly, but why does the shareholders right to income trump the workers right to life?
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:*blink blink* (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:5, Insightful)
In fact, if you needed family time, you were considered a bit suspect, or a whiny little bitch.
That's really a personal choice. 15 Years ago, I was in the same position, and made a choice to work normal hours, get married, learn to SCUBA dive, take vacations and have a life.
This magic was accomplished by telling my manager "No, I will not work nights, weekends and holidays."
Today, I'm still married, own a software business, have friends, take vacations and life is good. In fact, if I interview someone and they say they're willing to sell their soul to me, I won't hire them. I want people who have lives. They're happier, more productive and more stable.
Re:Aeron and RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) (Score:3, Insightful)
My doctor (yes, I have back problems) have told me to get up at least every hour, preferably more often.
When my back is "in the bad mood" I use one of those "knee chairs" which essentially forces me to get up often. This is very, very, very good thing (for me).
The answer to the original author: there is no "best" chair. It is a very personal thing. I like extremely simple chairs. They just work better than those with huge amount of adjustment or high seat or
Re:Thanks (Score:2, Insightful)
Are you serious? (Score:3, Insightful)
Microsoft is a Public Entity, with responsibilities EXCLUSIVE to its shareholders.
Workers wishing for more cushy conditions can go work at Borland. Oh wait, uh, Ashton Tate. Oops, uh, Word Perfect Corp. Oh no, uh Lotus?
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:5, Insightful)
They're getting harder to find because nobody wants a life that sucks. And if you fone someone who does, they're typically damaged in some way.
Its a different mindset these days, and while you think your folks are productive, I would comfortably assume that were you up against us on a project, my people would eat your lunch. We work until we ship. THEN we play.
Knock yourself out. I don't sell code, I sell ideas and business processes and charge based on the value I provide to the client, not the hours worked or lines of code. In fact, the actual coding tends to be relatively minimal.
If you need to change diapers between builds, you probably don't want to work for me.
That would account for your hiring difficulties. The only thing more seductive to a programmer than money and toys is having an actual life. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that taking his girlfriend out for a weekend in the mountains is more rewarding than sitting under a flourescent light chasing a segfault at 3am.
I have dived the wrecks of Belize, with the NEW wife (younger and cuter, since I am smarter and richer) and have a great time. Like you say, its a choice. You are happy with yours, I am ecstatic with mine. Good luck.
It's nice diving. I saw my first ray there, but I like Tobermory and the St. Lawrence better. The tropical wrecks deteriorate too quickly.
Good luck with the money and wife. I suspect by the time you hit your 60's you'll wish you had been a little less "driven." The "Trophy Wife" is a little sad; partially because when you marry someone it's supposed to be forever and partially because you now have a wife that married you for money and will leave when you lose yours or someone else comes along with more.
Re:Maybe that is what went wrong? (Score:3, Insightful)
Steve really cares whether you love the product. Yes, he needs you to buy it, but he's not happy unless you love it.
The Microsoft way has created strange creations like Windows Vista Capable which got people to buy products through highly misleading and confusing practices, leading to which (in my opinion) is a highly justified lawsuit.
The rise in Apple's market share of late seems to indicate that Steve's approach is gaining in popularity.
But I will admit that since most people are hyper-cheap, Windows is always going to be more popular. Your business is to support the hyper cheap of the world with barely adequate products, and sadly that's what the world needs much of the time.
D
Re:Thanks (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:*blink blink* (Score:2, Insightful)
To paraphrase Neil Stephenson, back in high school, being a nerd was a horrible faux pas, but nowadays, it's something else entirely...
The root of most guys' frustration with the fairer sex is that they feel they have something to offer, but don't know how to convey that. Guess what? If you genuinely feel you have something to offer, you do.
All of the nerds I know, without exception, are articulate, sensitive, intelligent guys who'd not only make first-class providers but would also defend their loved ones to the death if that were what the situation called for -- and I bet most of the guys here fit that bill, too.
Gentlemen, if you show these qualities to women indirectly without being self-conscious, unconfident, or needy, women will consider it a privilege to be part of your life. I shit you not.
Our nerdy forebears were the ones who built this modern world! It was nerds who created the Constitution of the United States of America. It was nerds who unleashed the power of the atom. It was nerds who created our communications infrastructure. It was nerds who designed all of those amazing cars and engines. It was nerds who won the battle of Midway. I could go on, but I think you get the point.
If you examine the pickup artist community, you'll find that nearly all of the guys at the top are NERDS! They're talking about neuro-linguistic programming, straight out of Snow Crash! The same objective, rigorous analysis you apply elsewhere will work just as well on your sex life!
So can we put to death this notion that nerds will never succeed with women? It's just completely untrue. The things we all find interesting ARE interesting! Forget high school. Nerds don't just have power, they create it from nothing. Nerds put all of the knowledge of humanity at the fingertips of the world, and they didn't even charge for it. Nerds don't just change the world, they turn the fucking thing upside down and get rich while doing it.
Nerds are the inheritors of the greatest legacy of our species.
So start acting like it!
The meek shall inherit the earth ;)
Re:Are you serious? (Score:1, Insightful)
I think the issue isn't communism, the issue is corporations getting away with things that if an individual did them - would get that person thrown under the jail.
Corporations not only have responsibilities to shareholders, but as a public entity with enormous power from the capitalization and financial resources available to them to do damage to society, also have a responsibility to society in exchange for the benefits they enjoy. Legal rulings, if not common sense, are clear on that.
History is clear - corporations will abuse the public trust if given enough leeway.
BTW, IBM and OSDF would probably round out that list...