Computer in the room

Indrid Cold · December 2005

This could be in "Relationships", "Health" or "Computers" and I couldn't decide, so I put it here. I guess I can move it later.

I'm in the process of taking stuff I don't want anymore out of my room, with the intent of rearranging it and also bringing the computer there (it's currently in the living room).
My mum keeps saying that it will fill me with radiation and that she doesn't want me eating in the same room that I sleep in and stuff, and knowing her I'd never hear the end of it if I actually brought it there...

What do you think about the situation?

Former Member · December 2005

oh dear, sounds like mumsie's a bit of a technophobe

so she doesn't want your PC in the same room as you sleep in, nor does she want you eating in the same room as you sleep in either?

good thing you're not in halls at uni, she'd have a terrible shock

well as I'm sure you know, the radiation stuff is rubbish, you just need to convince her of this

as for not eating in your bedroom, that's not that much of an issue is it? just eat in front of the tv instead!

speaking of which, you can tell her she's just as much at risk from this radiation from watching tv as you are from your PC

Indrid Cold · December 2005

I've tried convincing her, all it got me were several articles from weird magazines in which someone says the opposite. I guess I can try again...

She does have a TV in her room, and I did mention that, then she said "I'm not young, it doesn't matter. You are." How can you argue with logic like that?

Former Member · December 2005

Personally I preferred having a PC in the living room as It didnt mean i spent all my time in my room arsing about on it. The radiation thing is nonsense though

Former Member · December 2005

aye, faith is a hard thing to argue against!

show her this article http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/faqs/computervdtscreen.html

that might help

Q: My mom worries about the effects of computer radiation. She says that I am putting my health at risk by being on my PC more than four hours a day. Is this true?

A: The radiation emission from any computer is RF (radiofrequency) waves. There is no proof that these are harmful unless the intensity is high enough to warm tissue (like a microwave oven). You are not putting yourself at risk (from radiation) by being on your computer more than four hours a day.

Indrid Cold · December 2005

I prefer it in my room so I don't have to be careful for her opening the door when I'm on some specific sites, or singing (with no good voice too) when I'm trying to understand something I read. Things I can't stop her from doing in the living room.

Former Member · December 2005

you could always promise her that you'll always wear a tin foil hat while in your room with your PC to protect you... perhaps you can get her to wear one too!

Indrid Cold · December 2005

Aside the joking, what can I do? She can go on complaining for days when I do a little thing she doesn't like, I can't imagine when she'd stop with that.

BTW, should I move this to "relationships" after all?

Former Member · December 2005

well, your best bet would be to show her articles from well know rational scientific sources, that show that RF radiation from your PC poses no threat to you or anyone else in the room. because it is a complete load of nonsense!

I'm sure she'll get over it, just move it

Former Member · December 2005

While I would strongly dissuade a parent from allowing a television or internet connected computer in a minors room, that isn't the case here. Do you have an LCD or CRT monitor? Radiation issues are really only a concern with the latter

Eating at a computer is just wrong - I find the hygene issues quite compelling; but again that isn't the issue here.

Perhaps she just doesn't want you to turn into a recluse - or worse yet one of those "gothics"

Former Member · December 2005

Bring it wherever you want. I think mum is afraid you'll be doing a bit of the ole wanking over porn if it's in your room.

I eat over the computer sometimes, not my dinner or nothing but a packet of crisps or whatever.

Skive · December 2005

One of the lads in the village died a few years ago after leaving the TV on whilst he slept. It started arching and he died from smoke inhalation.

Former Member · December 2005

Skive wrote:

One of the lads in the village died a few years ago after leaving the TV on whilst he slept. It started arching and he died from smoke inhalation.

Does that happen often?

I always fall asleep with the TV on.

Skive · December 2005

turlough wrote:

Does that happen often?

Fuck knows, but I know it happened down the road. The geezer was only 21.

I sued to work in a place that fixed monitors, and from time to time you'd get one that would arc. They can give off a fearsom amount of really toxic smoke.

That's doesn't mean you shouldn't have a TV or monitor in your room. But you should certainly have it turned off whilst you sleep.

Former Member · December 2005

There might indeed have been an issue with old PC's maybe years ago - 486 and first pentium type systems.

I remember whenever I used to work on 2 PC's in the same room for a long time years ago with the case off both of them I'd feel quite ill. Never felt ill with just one Pc but sometimes I needed to work on two at the same time and that's when I'd notice it.

The noise issue a PC generates is very real.

Thankfully now you can get quiet PC's and if you're building your own PC then it's worth spending extra money on decent fans and power supplies that reduce noise.

But if you plan to go to sleep in the room and have a PC on it should be as silent as possible. Also you've got to wonder about having a Wifi Unit as well in the room, cordless phones, mobiles, etc - All of these units have been test individually but has anyone tested all these things together?

I don't really worry about these kind of things for myself, but I'm sure if I was a parent I'd be a lot more worried.

Computer in the room

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