The Water Cooler

1:27 PM

wtf. my work laptop doesn't have bluetooth. I didn't realize you could even get laptops without that now

2:23 PM

I wonder how many extra feet every day my right arm moves because I have to go OVER a useless number pad to go from typing to the mouse

it's about one foot of movement each time since like 6.5 extra inches

enderland

3:10 PM

@benbrocka, I hope this is appropriate for UX

0

Q: Why do keyboards still have built-in numbpads?

Normally I use a wireless keyboard without a number pad and a mouse right next to it. Having started a new job, I was finding my right arm somewhat more sore. This was confusing until I realized: Each time I swap mouse/keyboard with my right hand I have about 13" EXTRA movement (numpad is about...

RhysW

@enderland mine doesnt :P think how many feet ive saved!

enderland

@RhysW I'm not even joking, it's something like 1200-1500 feet of movement each day

Ben Brocka

@enderland seems alright

enderland

@BenBrocka "numb"pads was kinda a joke :P

Ben Brocka

Accountants love those things though. I Think it's mostly an issue of preference & convention

enderland

3:14 PM

@BenBrocka oh I know some people like them. But why not put a usb numbpad just right of the mouse?

Ben Brocka

A fair amonut of keyboards omit them, especially laptop keyboards. My DiNovo Edge didn't have the numpad

enderland

@BenBrocka I know laptops do. but try finding usb ones :(

when I went to buy my last keyboard I literally only could get an apple one (lol)

Ben Brocka

The Edge is pretty great, it's a rubber dome one though

RhysW

@enderland thats the whole reason i avoid keyboards that have numpads, too much movement

Ben Brocka

Mechanical keyboards seem to depend too much on old-school cred to omit the numpad

enderland

3:17 PM

@BenBrocka that still has extra crap on the right :P

RhysW

i reckon the only reason why laptops ommited them was so they could make laptops smaller, so they needed a smaller keyboard

enderland

@RhysW yeah I forgot to make this more clear in the question :( guess I edited it

Ben Brocka

@enderland An inch worth, and the volume thing is pretty useful

RhysW

the only thing i like about the mechanical keyboards is how easy it is to take the keys off and put them back on again afterwards

enderland

yeah, I guess. I'm spoiled with mac having that built into their keyboard already :)

RhysW

3:29 PM

nice, i mean for work, were forced to use PC's :P

enderland

@RhysW ditto. but I have a macbook pro as a personal machine

RhysW

nice, i have a gaming laptop as my personal machine XD

Chad

3:55 PM

@RhysW I am going to assume you mean you are blessed with the opportunity to utilize the windows environment instead of being forced to use the limited capibilities of the Apple footprint.

enderland

4:20 PM

@Chad this sounds like blasphemy. you could get exiled by windows!

RhysW

4:36 PM

@Chad the only apple thing i have is my ipad, i like windows

Rachel

4:51 PM

@maple_shaft I like this question with the edit @enderland made to it, and think it would be fine here

0

Q: How can I reflect appreciation for a coworker I referred (and then received a bonus)?

I recently referred a colleague from university to my workplace, after he was hired and completed a probationary period, I received a cash payment for referring him. I want to show appreciation somehow (after all, I only got the money because he began this job). I am unsure how to best do this ...

office

Honestly I thought the first version was fine as well (asking its OK to share a referral bonus with the person you referred)

The obvious answer is "yes its perfectly fine", but sometimes people don't notice the obvious answer and need it pointed out to them

Jim G.

9

Q: Should I be flexible or decisive when an employer asks me for an interview date?

I am a recent graduate. I have been going to a lot of interviews lately (software development), and I've noticed that interviewers rarely give you a specific date they want to arrange the interview on (unless it's an assessment day). This gives me two options: Request an interview at a specific...

interviewing hiring-process

^^^ Yes, indeed. It's an advice question.

5

Q: Should we have an "agony aunt" tag?

I can't help feeling that some of the questions on the site are opportunities to offload to a listening pair of ears (or thousands of pairs of ears as the case may be). I'm thinking in particular of this question: Should I take leave before office function? As Oded says in his comments, and I d...

discussion on-topic-definition tags

Rachel

6:02 PM

@JimG. Technically, everything on this site is an "advice" question

That meta post is specifically referring to questions that say "here's my situation, tell me what to do", while the question you linked is a "Is it better to do A or B in this specific situation", which is fine

Rachel

6:18 PM

1

Q: Is a silent shared office environment cause for concern?

I am leading a team of 6 developers, with all of us are located in one single physical office. The thing is, all of the people on our team are pretty introverted, so we mostly communicate by gmail chat even though all of us are sitting within walking distance from one another. Being an introve...

work-environment

I've made an edit to this question to try and get it reopened. Can we get some more reopen votes on it? (or if you think it should stay closed, can you let me know why so I can try to address the problem?)

I think it's a decent question, and am interested in the answer because I work in a very similar office environment

enderland

6

Q: How can I get a stapler and better keyboard?

Several weeks ago, I was involved in an untimely accident with a bus. It was tragic and I can't help but wonder if I would have looked better for that bus had I enjoyed the little things in life more. One of them is a that Swingline stapler - I had always wanted one at my desk. But my boss said ...

work-environment compensation benefits

I think I'm going to just buy my own, bring it in, and see what happens

Ben Brocka

I believe you have my stapler

enderland

@BenBrocka jokes on you since I don't have one!

Ben Brocka

A: Burn the building down

communication work-environment arson

I told them if they closed my question...I'd burn the building down

enderland

6:44 PM

@BenBrocka remind me never to work for you, near you... or you know what? even in the same city :)

which I guess will present a problem given that I'm going there next week. uh oh :|

Ben Brocka

@enderland Pft, if you think that's scary you should see me play Borderlands 2

Burn everything

enderland

@BenBrocka so, there's this this about real life vs video games. they are in fact different

Ben Brocka

So that's why they stopped respawning...

Chad

7:04 PM

@enderland Tell them if they dont get it for you you will just burn the place down... then take that old printer to an empty field and beat it wiht a baseball bat.

@enderland Have you never seen office space?

I would like to have a discussion about how my office is to quiet... good news it looks like we have an open question that deals with just that!

@Rachel So ask a practical question. Why should/should it not be a concern is a discussion topic not a practical question

@JimG. It is practical and answerable, and not seeking a huge discussion about the topic. that is the difference

enderland

7:47 PM

@Chad oh I have hahaha

Chad

8:09 PM

OMG I did not survive end of the world 1-14 and my ADD will kick in before I can finish watching End of the World 15... how will I ever survive?

gnat

10:05 PM

Edit made in rev 2 here feels slippery, I feel tempted to rollback, what do you guys think? "Is having an environment... cause for concern, and should I try to change it? Why or why not?" -> "I'd like to change the environment. What would you recommend?"
http://workplace.stackexchange.com/posts/10268/revisions

Edit summary is: "Question content edit to reflect presumed intent of OP" hm does editor knows / sees something that I don't?

"rev 2" is typo sorry: meant to write "rev 4"

enderland

0

Q: How to emphasize intelligence and general aptitude over book knowledge and experience in job search?

I a very lazy learner. I learn things only if I can relate to them through a hands-on opportunity, which is then a very fast process and I always excel in anything and everything I get my hands on, as long as it is something that I like to do. However, being a lazy/tactile, hands-on learner, I ...

interviewing job-search

oh the questions some people ask

this question is a rant which basically is "hi I'm smart why won't companies hire me"

gnat

@Rachel as one of the "major investors" (your rev 3 made me vote reopen), what do you think of that?

4 mins ago, by gnat

Edit made in rev 2 here feels slippery, I feel tempted to rollback, what do you guys think? "Is having an environment... cause for concern, and should I try to change it? Why or why not?" -> "I'd like to change the environment. What would you recommend?"
http://workplace.stackexchange.com/posts/10268/revisions

jcmeloni

10:32 PM

@enderland this user acknowledges the dupe - needs 2 more close votes or a moderator

enderland

@jcmeloni I think the root cause here is different, this one is "hey I'm an arrogant prick, why won't people hire me"

i do have examples. i have provided many solutions using my lateral thinking inclinations where other bookworm developers couldn't (or were adamant not to) get outside their routine comfort zone. but, like i said before, all i run into is these, like you call them, trivia type of employers — amphibient 2 mins ago

urgh, this person is a lost cause primma donna

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