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Why do people touch my screen
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:32 pm
by matthijs
[rant]
Why, why why? What's so special with my laptop screen that people want/have to touch it? Ok, I understand my Macbook is nice and all. I want to touch it all day as well. But NOT my screen!!
I'm looking at that screen all day. How am I supposed to work when I have all these fatty, blurry spots on it?
So, I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem. What are your experiences? How do you prevent people from touching your screen? What do say when someone is going to? If I'm with a client, I always must stay a bit diplomatic, even though I'm boiling inside

So I can't just slap their arm away ...
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:35 pm
by Luke
not much you can do... people just love to touch LCD screens... it's extremely annoying, but like you said there really is no polite way to tell clients not to touch your screen.
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:10 pm
by seodevhead
Maybe use one of those small file folder labels with "Don't Touch Screen" written on it, and use a tiny little strip of velcro to stick it on to the top of your screen whenever you are with a client.
Either that or just tell them before you get started, 'please do not touch the screen'. That's all I got

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:42 pm
by Christopher
I have noticed that some programmers are particularly sensitive to having their screen touched. I don't really mind. One of my kids got peanut butter and jelly on my screen last night -- it's almost all off now.
Perhaps if it bothers you, you could start the meeting by helpfully warning them that your computer has a short and sometimes give a shock if you touch the screen.

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:59 pm
by feyd
I believe there are various mildly adhesive (static cling) polymer sheets available that you can use to protect it.
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:20 pm
by Mordred
feyd wrote:I believe there are various mildly adhesive (static cling) polymer sheets available that you can use to protect it.
If someone invents one capable of storing high voltage, let me know
Since it's mostly colegues, I just slap their hand away. I'm quicker than a snake when I see an approaching finger! All this ving tsun training isn't lost even in front of the PC, hehe

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:28 pm
by jayshields
If it's a collegue, everytime they touch your screen, go over and backhand theirs. It it's a client, add 10% on for every touch, but don't tell them til afterwards

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:33 pm
by matthijs
Some good ideas guys! High-voltage sheets, sticky notes with warnings, pre-meeting warnings ...
Arborint, peanut butter? Ouch ... I'm glad (for the kid) it wasn't me in your shoes ...
jayshields: I like your idea the most. Just bill them

Re: Why do people touch my screen
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:47 pm
by John Cartwright
matthijs wrote:Why do people touch my screen
I don't know.. but I sure as hell would like to! I have a nice 28" monitor here, and people freaking love to put their fingerprints all over it. As if when they point I don't know what their pointing at.. seems people like to be as precise as possible .

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:45 pm
by Xoligy
Mordred wrote:Since it's mostly colegues, I just slap their hand away. I'm quicker than a snake when I see an approaching finger! All this ving tsun training isn't lost even in front of the PC, hehe

Haha ditto. If it's a client, just consider the amount of extra time it takes cleaning the screen, times it by 10 and then add it to the bill.
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:14 pm
by RobertGonzalez
I usually spank their hands. Of course, for me it is usually only the kids that are rude and stupid enough to touch my screen. But after a good thrashing, they usually smarten up.
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:19 pm
by veridicus
Why do people touch my screen?
Because it's there.
I notice no one who's a developer ever touches my screen.
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:59 pm
by Charles256
i notice that too. all my friends except programming friends touch my screen. some of my devoloper friends describe what quadrant of their screen they're talking about rather than even put a finger near my screen.hehe
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:07 pm
by Christopher
Well this thread has proven -- in yet another way -- that programmers are a bunch of freaks!
Obviously normal humans just don't have proper respect for computer hardware ... it's like they treat it like just any other stuff!

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:17 am
by alvinphp
it always bugs me when someone has to touch my screen to point something out on it. i let them do it once, but second time i tell them to watch the fingerprints on the monitor.