A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
Desk space - Need some advice
Posted: Feb 10, 2011
Those of you that have two (or more) computers, personal and a company provided one and limited space, what kind of desk set-up do you have?
Here's mine.... - CrankyOldBroadOnTheBeach
[ In Reply To ..]
To the left is the upright mini tower of my personal PC; just to the right is the work computer, laying flat. I have a KVM switch and another gizmo to switch back and forth, so I only need one keyboard, monitor, mouse AND foot pedal.
And this is only half the picture... there's all kinds of shelving to the left, and the printer (and more stuff) is just to the right of the monitor.
And yes, I do produce great gobs of transcription at this messy desk!
And for those who doubted me when I said my desk looked like an explosion in a wire factory... here's the proof!
Love it! The desks of creative minds are always messy. (nm) - Yochana
[ In Reply To ..]nm
Where's the cat sleep? :) My desk's the product - Pragmatist
[ In Reply To ..]of a messy mind. Thanks for the fun view of where Old Broad chronicles away!
OP, I do also have 2 computers (sitting at the back of my desk knee hole) served by 1 monitor, etc. My son set up a little macro to go from one computer to another so I don't have to physically flick the switch.
The desk itself is quite small--an old $50 mahogany reject from someone's garage with the center drawer front cut off and hinged back on to work as a keyboard tray. Very adequate for this work. The shallow top left drawer has a board fitted into it for handy writing surface. The few books I'm likely to use go in another drawer. The accumulation on top theoretically belongs in the rest of the drawers, except for the cat and coffee cup.
But the best thing for my workspace: household finances and hassles, all THAT mess, are handled elsewhere, at another desk in another room (by another person). The simplicity of function just feels good.
cranky old, you are my idol! - crank and old, no beach
[ In Reply To ..]I wish I could relax more at my desk. I break out in a cold sweat if there are too many misplaced things around my office/desk. I've been known to take a 10-minute break to vacuum and dust my office. I'm so pathetic!
Love your office! - desperado
[ In Reply To ..]I've missed reading your posts but looks like you are being very productive there! I may have missed it in the past, but I was curious, do you live near the beach?
And I thought I had a messy desk...but, - MT
[ In Reply To ..]a question: Wouldn't it be just as easy, or easier, to plug in an extra monitor instead of having the extra gadgets? Probably showing my ignorance here with the question, but that's how I do it and am wondering if your way has an advantage. I see you have the "board over filing cabinet" design which is my favorite too. I've invested in too many ready-made desks over the years that no longer are useful because technology changes so often. Thanks for sharing the pictures of your work space. Always nice to see the way others have their work space.
No to the extra monitor idea, see message - CrankyOldBroadOnTheBeach
[ In Reply To ..]You can see how cramped my desk is to start with.... The extra gadgets take up a LOT less space than a spare monitor!
For those of you who had other questions... yes, I do live near the coast, but not ON the beach, so my moniker is a lie. So sue me. I'll try to get back to the more technical question(s) a bit later, as I am on shift right now.... :)
It looks like a working desk to me, although - Sunshine State MT
[ In Reply To ..]I need a little more order at my desk. I would have problems concentrating sitting at your desk.
I LOVE your moniker Cranky; I started following your posts because of it; it's the best one ever baby!
So what kind of earphones are you using?
You must be making a lof of money because... - MT
[ In Reply To ..]that's how my desk looked when I was making good money years ago. Now it's a lot neater as I've slowed down a lot and just work to keep my skills up and a little extra money. I can relate with the reference books everywhere, although now I don't even have the books anymore...it's all internet look-up now ... loving it! Love the post-it notes! Thanks for sharing this with us...I should post mine...it's really low-tech...a filing cabinet and a side table holding up two boards which is my desktop, two plastic foldable extension tables, and a hutch leftover from a previous desks for my other "stuff". Not pretty, but it's working for me for now.
In which alternate universe and how do I get there? - CrankyOldBroadOnTheBeach
[ In Reply To ..]Making a lot of money, that is....
Alas, those days are gone....
Yours looks a lot like mine, I also have have my - sm
[ In Reply To ..]reference books surrounding my chair on the floor, much easier to get to as I don't have a bookcase close other than underneath my desk.
LMAO!!! sm - friedMT
[ In Reply To ..]This is hilarious and unfortunately looks exactly like my workspace and it doesn't hamper my production either. Just been too busy working to deal with it.
I was feeling so burnt out today so I needed a good laugh! Thanks!!!
your work space - ohiocarole
[ In Reply To ..]You honestly have me beat. Thanks for the tip on the KVM switch, I plug and unplug and my HDTV doesn't like it one bit.
I guess I must be really creative. - advice needed
[ In Reply To ..]Mine is a mess - actually my desk is in my bedroom in the corner and the whole house is a mess. I inherited the mess from my mom who passed away in August and with many issues not had the energy or heart to start cleaning/throwing away until now. Over the last 3 days I threw away 10 trash bags of stuff, old junk of my mom's. stuff that is not worth selling in a yard sale, or donating. Then had ice and snow storm. Now no trash pickup, not Tuesday or tomorrow! So, pile of trash on carport!
Anyway, will be looking at the kvm switch and other gizmo. I knew you could use one monitor, mouse and keyboard with a kvm switch, but didn't know about the footpedal. More suggestions would be welcome!
Close-up view of my gizmos - CrankyOldBroadOnTheBeach
[ In Reply To ..]
And an even closer view of my wiring issues. :)
Here is the pertinent portion of my gizmo collection.
The thing on the left with the green light is a 2-port USB sharing switch. This allows you to share one USB device between 2 computers. Unless, that is, you expand its capacity by plugging a USB hub into the sole USB port....
The blue square thing in the middle is the 4-port USB hub.
The blue box in the back is the KVM switch. As it happens this is only a 2-device switch (besides monitor) and the USB ports on it decided to die, so it is now only controlling the monitor.
The 4 things plugged into the 4-port hub are the mouse, keyboard, foot pedal, and the battery brick. You know, the thing that's supposed to keep the computer running long enough to save your work and shut down properly when the power goes out....
Clear as mud, maybe?
To COBOTB - sc
[ In Reply To ..]I'm impressed! Did you figure that all out and assemble it yourself? I wouldn't know where to start!
Hey Cranky Old Broad!!! - Question for ya, Madam
[ In Reply To ..]I'm going to need to get creative and do the "kvm switch" thing in a couple of weeks when I start a new job.
Question for ya, if ya don't mind --- When I walk into RadioShack, do I just ask for a KVM switch or is there any other name it goes by? Also, do I need anything else, such as that pretty blue USB port box (all the USB ports on my current computer work and I'm pretty sure the computer being shipped to me by the MTSO will have working USB ports as well). Any other little goodies I'll need to pick up? Oh, also, about how much did the switch and any other necessary adaptors set you back?
TIA, and I loved the look at your office!
More about the gizmos - CrankyOldBroadOnTheBeach
[ In Reply To ..]One of you asked some more questions, and I finally have a moment to answer.
Yes, it is called a KVM switch; stands for keyboard, mouse, video.
The reason for the 4-port pretty blue hub thingy is, even though both computers may well have working USB ports, the 4-port hub along with the 2-port USB switch (not to be confused with the KVM switch) means you don't have to switch every USB cable every single time from one computer to the other. This comes in especially handy if one or the other computer has most of its usable ports on the back....
The KVM switch I have only had 2 USB ports, and when I tried to plug the hub into it so I could use 3 devices (keyboard, mouse, and foot pedal) it sometimes got cranky with me. (The nerve! Cranky is MY turf!) I actually got the USB 2-port switch (the thingy with the green light on it) for another purpose, so I could plug the battery brick in and use it with both machines, but after the USB ports on the KVM switch both gave up the ghost, before going out and buying a new one, I got the idea to try plugging the hub into the 2-port switch instead--and lo and behold, it works. Knock on wood, but it hasn't glitched out on me even once. Yet.
Before I arrived at this solution, I used to switch the foot pedal cord between the 2 computers--both of which, fortunately, have ports on the front.... I still switch the headphones between the 2 machines.
I'm pretty sure you can buy KVM switches that have more than 2 USB ports on them, but I never priced them because I tried the other solution first, which worked, so I had no need for a new KVM switch.
There. Is that any clearer?
:)
every fireman's dream, crank! NM - too cute
[ In Reply To ..].
This kind of set up would drive me insane! - MY2c
[ In Reply To ..]Wires and clutter like this drive me batty. I use the smallest laptop possible and have nearly eliminated books, papers and everything else from my work space. All cords and wires are tied and tucked out of sight.
And don't get me started on dust... I must have a touch of OCD, because I have been known to secretly wipe down dusty surfaces even when I find them in places outside my house. I guess you have to be crazy to be an MT! LOL
Insane? Hmm. That might explain some things.... :D - CrankyOldBroadOnTheBeach
[ In Reply To ..]I'm still going to post some more about the gizmos and why you need them, but later, 'cause right now I really need a NAP!
My headphones are Koss and they came from Radio Shack, not too outrageously priced. I originally got them to use with my faux-pod because earbuds just pop right out of my ears, even if I'm sitting perfectly still.
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