I live in a shared apartment with 3 other folks (students), and I'm renting a room which isn't too large. I'm looking for a comfortable desk and chair which will be good for programming on my small-ish laptop. Any suggestions on what type is best for programming?
can battery last that long?
2009-02-04 15:18:46
They let you use the power outlets - just choose your seat wisely. On the headphone front, I recommend a pair of Sennheiser EH 150s. They're comfortable for hours of use, they block out ambient noise pretty well and they sound great.
Rob Allen
2009-02-04 15:24:32
I get a lot of work done in coffee shops. (Except in Amsterdam.)
Andrew Rollings
2009-02-04 15:34:40
@Andrew rollings, why not in amsterdam?
Click Upvote
2009-02-04 16:44:20
@Click Upvote; because in Amsterdam a "coffee shop" is less about coffee and more about weed.
Justin Voss
2009-02-04 16:55:36
lol .
Click Upvote
2009-02-04 19:05:57
+1
A:
For 4 years I used a small bedroom as an office. I had a small sturdy, compact, wooden computer desk, about 3.5 feet wide. It had a shelf for a printer near my knees, below the desktop. I would put my laptop on the printer shelf, then use a KVM switch to use a full size keyboard and 22 inch LCD monitor.
Get a good chair too. Don't go for the cheapo special at Costco or Walmart.
+6
A:
1) Big external screen. At least one really big one, or two 19" minimum. Checkout something like a matrox dualhead2go if need be. The biggest resolution your laptop can support. Your eyes will thank you, as will your neck.
2) Grown-up Keyboard and mouse. Don't be another 20 something with carpal tunnel. Wireless keyboards and mice are cheap as well if you want to go that way.
3) Chair. I used to have to lay on the floor once an hour because my fancy leather chair wasn't. Take the time now to find a chair that supports sitting for long hours (8+). The foam on chairs comes rated as different time-lengths for continuous use. If you can find a used Aeron or something, do it.
4) Desk. If you can find something that is height adjustable for you, great. Probably not though, so the best angle to go is to head to your local ikea's as-is department. Find a corner desk, or a straight table top of your choice. $40-75 tops instead of $130+. Then, buy some height adjustable legs from them. You will have a customized desk for under $200. I have used corner desks for years -- they are great for one person, but suck for two. Depending on the layout of your room you might have to use a straight desk. It should work great too. If you haven't, check out http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/ (Thanks David) for ideas.
5) Noise Canceling headphones. A nice to have but I find it helps me get into the flow when I'm finding myself unable to focus. Roommates can be noisy. Don't buy the expensive Bose headphones. I picked up a pair of audio-technica anc-ath7 from ebay for ~$120.
I'm sure you might be saying, I'm a student. I'm saying, if you're smart enough you'll be making the money back anyways, and with some things, it's not about what it costs, but what it makes you (in how much more productive you are). Just be careful to not get too obsessed with the environment that it cuts into your coding time.
Share what you end up doing!
Jas Panesar
2009-02-04 16:03:49
Just a data point: I use a $45 pair of JVC noise canceling headphones on flights and they work fine. 150,000 miles of flight and still working great. Uses a single AAA battery.
Mitch Haile
2009-02-11 13:59:51
+1
A:
Do yourself a huge favor and don't work from your apartment. If you do, the distinction between "work" and "not work" will be hard to draw.
Visit your local college or university and ask if they have some kind of small business incubator program; they sometimes offer free office space.
Justin Voss
2009-02-04 16:27:20
Depends on how freelance the freelancing is. If the OP only does some, it may not be worth getting office space (and may not qualify for an incubator program), and if the work is only occasional the OP may not need a hard distinction.
David Thornley
2009-02-04 17:05:10