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Computer Safety
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In 1795, the health and safety risks of reading printed books were described as "susceptibility to colds, headaches, weakening of the eyes, heat rashes, gout, arthritis, hemorrhoids, asthma, apoplexy, pulmonary disease, indigestion, blocking of the bowels, nervous disorder, migraines, epilepsy, hypochondria and melancholy" (Quoted in Spender, Dale, Nattering on the Net: Women, Power and Cyberspace, Spinifex Press, Melbourne, 1995, p8, from Darnton, Robert, "First Steps towards a history of reading" in Australian Journal of French Studies, 22, 1986, p5.)
Today, no-one would take these claims seriously and it is tempting to dismiss concerns about computer safety in the same way. But whether reading, writing or otherwise working onscreen, the health risks are nonetheless real. Equally, it is impossible to work or concentrate properly, let alone immerse yourself in a virtual environment, when stressed and/or hunched up and/or suffering eye strain and/or pain as a result of unsuitable equipment or working conditions. The financial cost of making sure that health and safety guidance is adhered to is usually negligible compared to the costs of hardware and software, and many solutions simply require a little imagination.