ken@turtlevax.UUCP (Ken Turkowski) (08/10/84)
I wasn't quite sure whether this should go in net.cog-eng or net.med,
but since this is mainly just a poll, it's here in net.misc.
Undoubtedly everyone has seen the chairs without a backrest, but with a
knee pad and a buttocks pad, widely touted as being good for the
posture. I'd like to get a feel for how suitable it would be for
programming.
Does anyone use these chairs while hacking on the keyboard? If so, is
it tiring to not have armrests? Is it easy to get into and out of? Do
you miss not being able to wheel around the office as with normal desk
chairs? Can you sit on the thing all day?
Please respond to the net if you have firsthand experience.
--
Ken Turkowski @ CADLINC, Palo Alto, CA
UUCP: {amd,decwrl,dual,flairvax,nsc}!turtlevax!ken
ARPA: decwrl!turtlevax!ken@BERKELEY.ARPAhav@dual.UUCP (Helen Anne Vigneau) (08/10/84)
<*munch*> I bought one of these chairs last November at Mobilia in downtown Berkeley. The *real* ones are made by a company called Balans (Scandinavian), and the model I got is the rocker, called Variable. I fell in love with these chairs the first time I saw them, but the price (~$255.) was too high. I got mine on sale, but waited a month for it, since the style I wanted was not in stock at the time. These are *very* well made chairs--laminated wood, not plywood or particle board. I got rosewood, but several others (walnut?) are also available. There is also a choice from a handful of colors for the upholstery. If you are interested, Mobilia is in the middle of a sale now, and I think the price of the chair I'm describing is about $179. I can confirm this if you like (please contact me by email). My SO has used my chair for all-night programming stints and *raves* about it, so I guess there's your answer. I've even had trouble getting him to give it back to me. The bad news is that the model of this chair after which I'm lusting now is about $450. This one has a full back and can be used in any of three positions. The runners on the bottom are angled so that you can sit on the chair as you would the smaller model; you can also use the middle position so that you're sitting in a position similar to a conventional chair; you can tip the chair back (scary, since you think you're going to tip over backwards, but you won't) and sit as you would in a recliner. Sigh. Maybe it's time to ask for a raise and go out and get one of these for myself. Believe me, you *do* want one of these chairs! Helen Anne Vigneau Dual Systems Corporation
marcum@rhino.UUCP (Alan M. Marcum) (08/10/84)
I have a Balans chair in my office at home. I like the chair,
and have found it quite comfortable, even after a full day
sitting in it. I like to have something on which to rest my arms
if I'm reading or using a terminal (eg. the desk on which the
terminal sits).
--
Alan M. Marcum Fortune Systems, Redwood City, California
...!{ihnp4, ucbvax!amd, hpda, sri-unix, harpo}!fortune!rhino!marcumhav@dual.UUCP (Helen Anne Vigneau) (08/10/84)
<*munch*>
P.S. Be careful about those tubular metal things you may see advertised
in magazines (the back pages) and elsewhere. I doubt very much if
they are anywhere near the same quality.
havbmw@aesat.UUCP (Bruce Walker) (08/13/84)
[Articles are packed by weight. Contents may settle during shipping]
Yes, I have one, and am very happy with it. The particular version I have
solves some of the `problems' that might be of concern to terminal users. I
bought the Balans(R) Vital (model 6035) made by a Norwegian company, Hag as.
(little circle over the `a' in Hag). This is a swivel chair, with a five foot
base, castors, automatic height adjustment and a flexible tilting mechanism
under the leg cushion. The base is cast, while the support members are of
tubular steel. The cushions are quite comfortable, a little `cushier' than
those of the Balans Variable, and are available in an assortment of `quiet'
colours.
I tend to be a "fidgety" sitter, and usually squirm/twist while perched
in front of my terminal, so, the flexibility of this chair makes it much more
comfortable to me than the fixed, wooden-based versions would be.
This chair and two other models by the same company (distributor?) are sold
as `office' furniture, so you'll have to hunt around your local office/import
dealers. (For Toronto people, my dealer was Finnish Design Imports Ltd., in
Toronto.)
The other chairs mentioned, the Variable, and the Tripos (sort of 3-in-1:
Balans, sitting or reclining postions), are most likely to be found in imported
home furnishings dealers. I have two of these on order; the Variable (a rocking
frame of laminated beechwood with wool fabric) and the Multi (non-rocking, but
adjustable seat/leg angles). For comparison,
Model ~ Price ($Can.)
Vital $400
Variable $250
Multi $250
Tripos $800
(De Boer's, the local Toronto dealer, also has some `designer' chairs, with
prices ranging upwards of the Tripos.)
I don't believe that these chairs are a fad. If you are at all con-
cerned with your comfort while key-pounding (all nighters, or otherwise), or
pretty well any other seated activity, you are well advised to check them out.
Bruce Walker ..decvax!utzoo!aesat!bmwwjhe@hlexa.UUCP (Bill Hery) (08/14/84)
> Undoubtedly everyone has seen the chairs without a backrest, but with a > knee pad and a buttocks pad, widely touted as being good for the > posture. I'd like to get a feel for how suitable it would be for > programming. How can you put your feet up on your desk?
crm@rti-sel.UUCP (08/14/84)
>> Undoubtedly everyone has seen the chairs without a backrest, but with a >> knee pad and a buttocks pad, widely touted as being good for the >> posture. I'd like to get a feel for how suitable it would be for >> programming. >How can you put your feet up on your desk? I give up, how *can* you put your feet on the desk? ... oh, this *isn't* net.jokes ? Maybe if you were comfortable at your desk, you wouldn't have to?
mats@dual.UUCP (Mats Wichmann) (08/17/84)
Yup - I've got one in my office. Real comfy. I am a tightwad - I looked
around and found a cheaper model - ran me about $70 - definitely worth
the bread. But all of these chairs are not created alike - try several
models to find one that is comfortable. And no, you can't put your feet
up on the desk. On the other hand, I don't find that I want to do that
any more.
Mats Wichmann
Dual Systems Corp.
...{ucbvax,amd,ihnp4,cbosgd,decwrl,fortune}!dual!matskds@intelca.UUCP (Ken Shoemaker) (08/20/84)
I don't know about anyone else, but I find the "posture waterbed"
the absolute best place to hack.
--
Ken Shoemaker, Intel, Santa Clara, Ca.
{pur-ee,hplabs,amd,scgvaxd,dual,idi,omsvax}!intelca!kds
---the above views are personal. They may not represent those of Intel.jdb@qubix.UUCP (Jeff Bulf) (08/23/84)
> From: ken@turtlevax.UUCP (Ken Turkowski) > Undoubtedly everyone has seen the chairs without a backrest, but with a > knee pad and a buttocks pad, widely touted as being good for the > posture. I'd like to get a feel for how suitable it would be for > programming. One of my colleagues here at Qubix brought one in for our lab a couple of months ago. He is younger than I (~24). He used the device a lot, and seemed to like it. If he weren't in Montana this week, I'd ask him for his present feelings about it. I found the device quite uncomfortable to my back. Lower back generally started aching after only an hour or so. Nobody else among the 4-5 people on that system used it more than once or twice. Anybody else have experience? Is this gadget less orthopedic than advertised, or do different people have different backs? "...gonna be a dennil floss tycoon" -- Dr Memory ...{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!qubix!jdb