Re: Since I began using computers, I have hurt my:

[pileofrogs]

in reply to Since I began using computers, I have hurt my:

Wow, a quiz I can answer with literal truth..

Sometimes, when I get really frustrated, I pick up my keyboard and smash it keys-first into my monitor. (.. I won't be able to do that anymore if I ever get an LCD...) half the keys fly off, and then I get to pick them up and put them back in, usually in somewhat wrong position. For instance, at this time I have F9 where the right arrow button should be.

I find that the smashing is a great release and replacing the letters is a nice soothing activity to follow the smashing. I heartly recommend this to anyone.

[radiantmatrix]

Don't take your agression out on equipment -- eventually, you'll do something really costly, and the guilt that results is so not worth it.

Instead, keep something you can strangle, smash, punch, whatever near your workspace. I have a "problem penguin" at my work desk. I explain problems to the penguin before asking questions, but I also throw him at my whiteboard or wring his neck when I get truly frustrated. It helps.

Then again, so does playing a few rounds of Stair Dismount. ;-)

[poqui]

Unfortunately, at my company we just had a "Violence in the Workplace" film and discussion; and "abusing equipment/ furniture" is listed as one of the warning signs of possible pending workplace violence. Responsible employees are to report such incidents.

Also reportable are ANY incidents that make you feel uncomfortable, even if you don't know why.

So if I even *type* too loud, I could get reported!

[jhourcle]

Typing too loud? That's a problem for those fans of buckling spring keyboards (eg, the old 'IBM Model M')

[jhourcle]

I've done simiar things in the past. Sometimes resulting in injury to myself and/or objects around me.

However, there have been a few reports recently on something called Intermittent Explosive Disorder, which is an abnormally violent reaction to something. (I view it as the 'straw that broke the camel's back' type situation, but I find that getting some exercise and other stress reducing techniques (besides breaking things), have helped me reduce the incidence of these events.)

Oh -- and I know some folks who get together on the day before father's day, and go shooting at a farm, so I can bring my own targets -- shooting at computer keyboards is particularly fun (but make sure to put it back far enough so that someone doesn't strip 1/2 the keys off w/ a shotgun)

ps. who gets to define 'abnormally'. If enough people are doing it, isn't it normal?

[McDarren]

heh.. this reminds me of one of my former bosses, who was not quite up with these new-fangled computer thingy's... (this was in the mid-eighties, so I guess he can be somewhat excused).

In those days, anything being "backed-up" would be backed up to 1.44" floppies. And floppies being floppies - they would regularly fail. And so whenever one would fail, he would take it from the FDD and slap it on the desk a few times, then insert it back into the FDD and try again. The fact that it never made any difference didn't stop him from trying.... over and over again...