The working from home thread: tips and advice

Or get a trackball (e.g. https://www.ebuyer.com/177313-kensington-orbit-trackball-with-scroll-ring-usb-k72337eu?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkM3FtO_C6AIVSLTtCh17PQCEEAQYASABEgIDZPD_BwE)

I had one for a while and it was great fun watching people push it around my desk and wonder why it wasn't working. Only stopped using it as it broke and a normal mouse was sitting nearby.

I've used a Kensington 'expert mouse' trackball daily for a dozen years or so and it's still going strong. Quality bit of kit.

I use one of those Anker ones and recommend although currently having issues due to height of table being used relative to chair, need to get a proper office chair

what did you go for?

Wanking with the wrong hand?

MrsDeth received a monitor, keyboard and mouse today, sent by her work, to make WFH easier.
Her (work issued) laptop has neither HDMI or USB 2 ports. Guess which type of ports the deliveries need?
Now waiting on a usb-c hub with HDMI and USB ports

It's the thought that counts. That and the fear of HSE directives on working environments.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07FM2GLNQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yet to arrive and never used a vertical mouse before, so don't know how it'll pan out. Can't be worse than the existing mouse, at least - I got jolted awake this morning with carpal tunnel pain and was reminded why I always use a trackpad instead of a mouse.

can you report back please? I'll have a look at reviews too..quite tempted to give one a go nad I do like wireless...

"Function buttons can't be programmed on Mac" :(

Will do!

The spec on the Trust website seems to say that the buttons can't be programmed at all,
on any OS - https://www.trust.com/en/product/22879-verto-ergonomic-wireless-mouse

Though TBH I've never tried to program the functions on any mouse in my entire life, so not sure I'll be missing much.

I never used to, but I use the thumb rest button on my Logitech MX Master for the "snip" tool aka selective screen capture all the time. not sure I could go back to pressing shortcut keys

How did you program that? The snipping tool shortcut is Windows logo key + Shift + S, and it doesn't want to record the keystroke

I used Logi Opions. selected the button, then screen capture then ticked region and clipboard.

TBF they are being really helpful, gave her £60 towards a chair and £65 towards a desk, shipped anything to our house that she needed (hence the monitor) at their own cost.
The issue is it was the estates manager that ordered and sent everything not the IT dept.
It's not a big problem, just a delay in getting a comfortable setup.
I appreciate she has a much better situation than many others and my complaining was more 1st world problem than an actual gripe.

Didn't mean that to sound so cynical but great to see that they are doing their best.

2ndhnd for sensible office chairs BTW.

Ahh for some reason it was still using Setpoint.
I've assigned it for Keystroke assignment and Win+Shift+S to open the snipping tool.

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... Jesus. That sounds really useful and now I kind of regret getting a mouse that doesn't do it

Wondered if any windows users could help me out?

I'm a video editor and I'm splitting my time between working locally on my studio machine (mac) and remotely on a client's server (windows machine). It works surprisingly well but I edit almost exclusively with keyboard shortcuts and windows doesn't seem to recognise f buttons beyond f12. Is there a way to get f13 and upwards functionally on windows 10 (natively or via a macros app)? My muscle memory is killing me at the minute!

Something like https://www.autohotkey.com/ or https://www.randyrants.com/2006/07/sharpkeys_211/ may help, or possibly both together (I've only used the first) depending on exactly what you want.

Thanks, I'll have a look. I don't need to do any complicated mapping as that's all taken care of within the editing software, I just need to be able to use all of the keys on my keyboard.

They let you capture the key presses so should hopefully show what's happening to them or if they're being registered at all.

its a refinite reccomendation then? I'm 6'7" and have had some back problems in the past. I assume shoes matter too?

i take it you're trying to do a poll o'XL people? :)

very good

Just got the email through from management about them furloughing staff. Not surprised, when we’re a company built on showing live sport. No word yet about who will be furloughed, but they only sent the email at 4pm so plenty of time to get the virtual hand on the shoulder before the end of the week..