17 January 2022

The continuing fight for ergonomic hardware

 Since I had swapped my desktop for a laptop, my arms had been getting worse again. Somehow the laptop didn't communicate with my voice dictation software as well as the desktop had done. And a lot of improvements had been made, after some initial inertia; the Dragon helpdesk have helped me with audio input, and the University IT helpdesk had been doing some tampering I don't understand. But altogether it still wasn't at the same level as it had been. IT had claimed this was probably due to the laptop having a different version of Office than the desktop; maybe Dragon didn't really work well that? But I checked my version of Dragon, and it was totally compatible with this version of Office. So when the University opened again after Christmas I got in touch with IT again. They had earlier suggested that maybe reimagining the laptop would help, so I asked them if that might still be an option. But then they answered they had got me a desktop ready. I suppose reimagining the laptop wouldn't work if there was nothing wrong with the combination of office and Dragon. I was chuffed! If a desktop doesn't help then at least it doesn't do any damage either. So I went to Bangor and picked it up. The bloke I had been communicating with had asked if I had mouse, keyboard, et cetera? And I answered I indeed had all the peripherals. So when I appeared the bloke on duty duly appeared with just a desktop. I accepted it, thanked him, and left. And when I got home it dawned on me that something was amiss. Yes I had screens, cables for screens, mouse, keyboard, network cable, head set, the works! But there was one thing I didn't have, and that was a power cable for a desktop. Oh dear. And without power they don't work. I wondered if I should contact them, or just quickly get a cheap second hand cable from eBay. I decided for the second option! I didn't have any business in Bangor for a while. So now I had a lovely desktop but it was just standing around like a paperweight.



As soon I have the power cable I need the establish the next issue; will I be able to install Dragon on it? It is a personal licence. And I have already installed it on the second computer, namely my laptop. Will the licence allowing third machine? I really hope so! Watch this space…

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