Computer Rage

[Adam's Apple]

If a computer can bring out the monster in a man of Norman's professional training, is there any hope for the rest of us?

Rage Against the Machine
By Joy Davia, The Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle
June 9, 2005


'Computer rage' is real but curable, says an expert who once grilled his mouse.

Kent Norman did something most people would like to do with their workplace irritations. After work one day, he torched the source of his angst: a computer mouse. The darn thing's ball kept freezing, making it hard to keep the cursor on target. He first tried a candle, but it didn't perfectly crisp the mouse; he then grabbed a torch, eventually throwing the disfigured mouse onto his grill.

A bit extreme? Maybe. But you try working for two months with an unruly mouse. Come on, it's not like you've never imagined whacking a sledgehammer through a computer that keeps freezing.

Workers nowadays are overly reliant on this one piece of very fallible office equipment. So in the likely event that your computer misbehaves -- like taking hostage three weeks' worth of work -- who can blame you for getting super-stressed?

Such workplace stress can proliferate in many ways. Most people in a study commissioned by Compaq, for example, have seen other workers rage against their computers -- swearing at the equipment, for example.

Norman said he felt better after he destroyed his mouse. And it wasn't just personal. Norman is director of the University of Maryland's Laboratory for Automation Psychology and Decision Processes, studying interaction between people and computers.

His mouse ordeal even prompted him to start an informal online survey on computer rage. About 2,600 responses later, he learned that many people have found themselves swearing at their computers. Some have turned violent, including one frustrated worker who threw his computer to the floor and lied to his boss about why it was damaged.

Norman even started a Web site on ways to safely vent against your computer -- www.lap.umd.edu/computer_ rage. So what can workers do to avoid such stress?

for full article
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050609/LIVING/506090375/1007

 

[Annie]

If a computer can bring out the monster in a man of Norman's professional training, is there any hope for the rest of us?

Rage Against the Machine
By Joy Davia, The Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle
June 9, 2005


'Computer rage' is real but curable, says an expert who once grilled his mouse.

Kent Norman did something most people would like to do with their workplace irritations. After work one day, he torched the source of his angst: a computer mouse. The darn thing's ball kept freezing, making it hard to keep the cursor on target. He first tried a candle, but it didn't perfectly crisp the mouse; he then grabbed a torch, eventually throwing the disfigured mouse onto his grill.

A bit extreme? Maybe. But you try working for two months with an unruly mouse. Come on, it's not like you've never imagined whacking a sledgehammer through a computer that keeps freezing.

Workers nowadays are overly reliant on this one piece of very fallible office equipment. So in the likely event that your computer misbehaves -- like taking hostage three weeks' worth of work -- who can blame you for getting super-stressed?

Such workplace stress can proliferate in many ways. Most people in a study commissioned by Compaq, for example, have seen other workers rage against their computers -- swearing at the equipment, for example.

Norman said he felt better after he destroyed his mouse. And it wasn't just personal. Norman is director of the University of Maryland's Laboratory for Automation Psychology and Decision Processes, studying interaction between people and computers.

His mouse ordeal even prompted him to start an informal online survey on computer rage. About 2,600 responses later, he learned that many people have found themselves swearing at their computers. Some have turned violent, including one frustrated worker who threw his computer to the floor and lied to his boss about why it was damaged.

Norman even started a Web site on ways to safely vent against your computer -- www.lap.umd.edu/computer_ rage. So what can workers do to avoid such stress?

for full article
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050609/LIVING/506090375/1007

I say it will take about 10 minutes for a PETA like group to form and make this guy's life hell! Maybe PETA will even take up the cause, it seems that he picked on the MOUSE.

 

[GotZoom]

Kent Norman did something most people would like to do with their irritations. After work one day, he torched the source of his angst: a mouse. He first tried a candle, but it didn't perfectly crisp the mouse; he then grabbed a torch, eventually throwing the disfigured mouse onto his grill.

A bit extreme? Maybe. Come on, it's not like you've never imagined whacking it with a sledgehammer...who can blame you for getting super-stressed?

Such workplace stress can proliferate in many ways.

Norman said he felt better after he destroyed his mouse.

His mouse ordeal even prompted him to start an informal online survey on rage. About 2,600 responses later, he learned that many people have found themselves swearing. So what can workers do to avoid such stress?

A few deletions and this would be perfect to email to PETA.

 

[no1tovote4]

Geez, get with the times! Use a Track Ball!

 

[Merlin]

Had to laugh at this one and show it to my wife. She said I was the only one that could get mad at a computer and throw it in the pond. That was 3 years ago. I wonder if any of my fish fixed it. If you get a message from a fish, you know its from my fish.

 

[no1tovote4]

I saw a show in Discovery that talked about therapy where they trash old computers. The best therapy was when people brought in their own nemesis to destroy.

 

[Shattered]

Gee. He could have just bought a new mouse.

 

[Merlin1047]

The darn thing's ball kept freezing, making it hard to keep the cursor on target. He first tried a candle, but it didn't perfectly crisp the mouse; he then grabbed a torch, eventually throwing the disfigured mouse onto his grill.

What a dork!

Roller ball mice will start to hang up because grime collects on two little round pins mounted horizontally and which ride against the mouse ball (shut up - no cheap jokes here). The pins translate the motion of the ball into input the mouse sends to the computer to control the cursor.

All this techno-troglodyte had to do was:

1. Turn mouse upside down and twist the mouse ball retainer one half turn.

2. Remove the mouse ball, clean it with alcohol.

3. Take a jeweler's screwdriver, nail file or anything with a narrow tip and carefully scrape the gunk off both horizontal roller pins inside the mouse. Then clean the pins with a q-tip with a little rubbing alcohol.

4. Drop the mouse ball back in.

5. Replace the retainer.

Takes about two minutes - if you're slow.

 

[Adam's Apple]

Gee. He could have just bought a new mouse.

HA! HA! Shattered, that's exactly what my wife said, but you women have to understand that's too simple a solution for a highly educated man like Dr. (Ph.D., I presume) Norman to think of.

 

[no1tovote4]

I still think that a Track Ball is better than a mouse in every instance. Less cleaning, less moving parts, less problems all around.