Reading on your computer...... - Page 2

Miss · 01-26-2012, 02:13 AM

I got an ereader so that I wouldn't have to read on a monitor! For me it's mainly an issue of eyestrain, I just don't find I'm able to read for long with the backlighting.

patrickt · 01-26-2012, 07:54 AM

Man cave? Oh, right, that room that wusses wives allow them to have in the house where they can hide from the wrath of Venus.

No, I obviously do forums on the computer but I have never read a book on the computer. When I first downloaded an app for reading ebooks I tried but it's too stationary. Reading on my laptop wasn't much better.

I get an amazing amount of reading done while eating in restaurants, waiting to see professionals who training did not include keeping appointments and even while waiting to meet friends. And, of course, if guests noticed I had a computer sitting in front of the toilet, that would be embarrassing, too.

taosaur · 01-26-2012, 08:36 AM

I'm wondering how much of the strain people, especially on this forum, attribute to "backlighting" in fact comes from the generally poor ergonomics of reading on a large, stationary monitor. I definitely find it tiring to my eyes to read any lengthy text on my desktop monitor, but the same can't be said for a tablet or even my old netbook. In addition to the elements I explicitly bring into my comfort zone--brightness, text/bg colors, font size, column width--I'm unconsciously adjusting the display distance whenever I use it.

If people were reading PDFs and Word documents formatted for letter-size paper (small fonts, long lines)--pretty much the standard in "ebooks" before ereaders were widespread--well, all the worse for them.

Joykins · 01-26-2012, 12:08 PM

I've used ADE, kindle for PC, nook for PC, and Calibre to read on my computer.

I don't often do it because i like to be able to take a book with me out and about, or even to the kitchen...also my laptop screen is cracked, which I need to work around.

sbroome · 01-26-2012, 12:11 PM

When I'm on the computer painting I usually listen to audiobooks, it's great because I can usually get a week out of a good book, which reduces the amount of time I spend picking what I listen to/watch while I work. I've tried reading directly in browsers and it just doesnt work for me for some reason.

Blossom · 01-26-2012, 02:20 PM

I find Kindle For PC really nice to read on. I started reading on my PC years ago with LIT and PDF. I still read PDF on the PC. I bought a netbook to read on and read on it for a very long time before purchasing my first eReader then later upgrading to a Kindle.

I still read on my PC, My Phone, Kindle and now Kindle Fire. I never have eye strain issues. I suspect that fonts come largely into play with reading comfortable with LCD, that and keeping the monitor brightness down.

Quexos · 01-26-2012, 02:24 PM

I've briefly perused some pdf files but never read them fully and certainly not full books. I don't find the computer screen comfortable enough for long reading sessions.

wodin · 01-26-2012, 02:33 PM

The biggest problem I have with reading on my PC is since I got my new glasses, the progressive part of the lens is positioned too low causing me to have to tilt my head back in order for the screen to be in focus. Since my job requires me to use a computer extensively this is also a problem at work. With my tablet or a laptop, that's not a problem as I can just hold it lower in my field of vision, but with a desktop monitor; not so easy!

I should really take my glasses back to COSTCO and have new lenses ground but those round tuits are always hard to come by.

vulcan_girl · 01-26-2012, 03:14 PM

I used to read on my monitor at work (pdf format). I liked to see the entire page at once and advance a page at a time, so it had to be at 69% or so, which was kind of small. It did the job until I got an ereader, but I don't like reading on a PC at all.

graycyn · 01-26-2012, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wodin

The biggest problem I have with reading on my PC is since I got my new glasses, the progressive part of the lens is positioned too low causing me to have to tilt my head back in order for the screen to be in focus. Since my job requires me to use a computer extensively this is also a problem at work. With my tablet or a laptop, that's not a problem as I can just hold it lower in my field of vision, but with a desktop monitor; not so easy!

This is exactly why I have two pairs of glasses. One pair is progressives for regular use, the other is strictly for computer use only.

cfrizz · 01-26-2012, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wodin

The biggest problem I have with reading on my PC is since I got my new glasses, the progressive part of the lens is positioned too low causing me to have to tilt my head back in order for the screen to be in focus. Since my job requires me to use a computer extensively this is also a problem at work. With my tablet or a laptop, that's not a problem as I can just hold it lower in my field of vision, but with a desktop monitor; not so easy!

I should really take my glasses back to COSTCO and have new lenses ground but those round tuits are always hard to come by.

Welcome to the reality of progressive lenses. That's why I have a pair of reading glasses at my pc, a pair at work, and a pair in my bedroom. The only time I use my progressives for reading is when I'm out of the house. But if I'm in a place for several hours, I have a pair of reading glasses there.

wodin · 01-26-2012, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfrizz

Welcome to the reality of progressive lenses. That's why I have a pair of reading glasses at my pc, a pair at work, and a pair in my bedroom. The only time I use my progressives for reading is when I'm out of the house. But if I'm in a place for several hours, I have a pair of reading glasses there.

I'm not at all new to progressive lenses, I've been using them with great success for years. But I got new ones a couple of months ago, and forgot to tell the optician that I spend many hours per day at the computer.

Last time they moved the higher powered section up higher, and they worked great; this time they didn’t and the results are not so good. I’d use my old glasses except my prescription has changed significantly so even these are better than the old ones.

carpetmojo · 01-27-2012, 03:12 AM

I find trying to read for any stretch on a PC or laptop just too tiring - probably the back-lit bit - and too static - you can't move to the sofa and spread, for example, or into the conservatory and listen to the rain ! Also, the fixed nature of the reading source - there's not as much freedom to move the monitor.

And an audio book will, sooner rather than later, just send me to sleep.

Strangely enough, this doesn't apply in the car, where I find a good 3-4 hour audio book beats black coffee on long trips - and on one 1,000 mile drag through France to Spain, I got through the same book twice with two in the middle, and a good blast of Mr. Handel's Messiah" .......

HarryT · 01-27-2012, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

And an audio book will, sooner rather than later, just send me to sleep.

Strangely enough, this doesn't apply in the car, where I find a good 3-4 hour audio book beats black coffee on long trips - and on one 1,000 mile drag through France to Spain, I got through the same book twice with two in the middle, and a good blast of Mr. Handel's Messiah" .......

That's strange - I'm exactly the same. I always listen to audiobooks in the car - I find it aids my concentration enormously. But try to listen to one sitting in an armchair at home and I'm out like a light!

vulcan_girl · 01-27-2012, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's strange - I'm exactly the same. I always listen to audiobooks in the car - I find it aids my concentration enormously. But try to listen to one sitting in an armchair at home and I'm out like a light!

Me, three! Audiobooks in the car or while I'm painting a room, otherwise it's nap time.

01-26-2012, 12:11 PM	#20
sbroome Youngsta Posts: 202 Karma: 1041786 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: San Diego Device: kindle	When I'm on the computer painting I usually listen to audiobooks, it's great because I can usually get a week out of a good book, which reduces the amount of time I spend picking what I listen to/watch while I work. I've tried reading directly in browsers and it just doesnt work for me for some reason. Last edited by sbroome; 01-26-2012 at 12:14 PM.

01-27-2012, 03:12 AM	#28
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	I find trying to read for any stretch on a PC or laptop just too tiring - probably the back-lit bit - and too static - you can't move to the sofa and spread, for example, or into the conservatory and listen to the rain ! Also, the fixed nature of the reading source - there's not as much freedom to move the monitor. And an audio book will, sooner rather than later, just send me to sleep. Strangely enough, this doesn't apply in the car, where I find a good 3-4 hour audio book beats black coffee on long trips - and on one 1,000 mile drag through France to Spain, I got through the same book twice with two in the middle, and a good blast of Mr. Handel's Messiah" ....... Last edited by carpetmojo; 01-27-2012 at 03:14 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Unutterably Silly Old Bad Computer/Computer Programming Jokes	RWood	Lounge	114	02-21-2012 01:39 PM
Reading a Book Versus a Screen: Different Reading Devices	wodin	General Discussions	9	10-25-2011 05:05 PM
Deauthorizing a computer from Adobe Digital Reader without the computer	MasterGame	General Discussions	5	10-27-2010 11:36 PM
Suitable for reading pdfs? Computer manuals	sark666	Kobo Reader	10	07-25-2010 07:08 PM
Environmental study: 30 min of e-paper reading = 30 mins of print reading	Steven Lyle Jordan	News	36	12-14-2007 03:29 PM

01-26-2012, 02:13 AM	#16
Miss Connoisseur Posts: 75 Karma: 491022 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: USA Device: Pocketbook 360+	I got an ereader so that I wouldn't have to read on a monitor! For me it's mainly an issue of eyestrain, I just don't find I'm able to read for long with the backlighting.

01-26-2012, 07:54 AM	#17
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	Man cave? Oh, right, that room that wusses wives allow them to have in the house where they can hide from the wrath of Venus. No, I obviously do forums on the computer but I have never read a book on the computer. When I first downloaded an app for reading ebooks I tried but it's too stationary. Reading on my laptop wasn't much better. I get an amazing amount of reading done while eating in restaurants, waiting to see professionals who training did not include keeping appointments and even while waiting to meet friends. And, of course, if guests noticed I had a computer sitting in front of the toilet, that would be embarrassing, too.

01-26-2012, 08:36 AM	#18
taosaur intelligent posterior Posts: 1,562 Karma: 21295618 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ohiopolis Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Samsung S8, Lenovo Tab 3 Pro	I'm wondering how much of the strain people, especially on this forum, attribute to "backlighting" in fact comes from the generally poor ergonomics of reading on a large, stationary monitor. I definitely find it tiring to my eyes to read any lengthy text on my desktop monitor, but the same can't be said for a tablet or even my old netbook. In addition to the elements I explicitly bring into my comfort zone--brightness, text/bg colors, font size, column width--I'm unconsciously adjusting the display distance whenever I use it. If people were reading PDFs and Word documents formatted for letter-size paper (small fonts, long lines)--pretty much the standard in "ebooks" before ereaders were widespread--well, all the worse for them.

01-26-2012, 12:08 PM	#19
Joykins Wizard Posts: 1,601 Karma: 9211856 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: kindle Oasis 2018, kindle 4 NT, kindle PW2, iPhone, iPad mini	I've used ADE, kindle for PC, nook for PC, and Calibre to read on my computer. I don't often do it because i like to be able to take a book with me out and about, or even to the kitchen...also my laptop screen is cracked, which I need to work around.

01-26-2012, 02:20 PM	#21
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	I find Kindle For PC really nice to read on. I started reading on my PC years ago with LIT and PDF. I still read PDF on the PC. I bought a netbook to read on and read on it for a very long time before purchasing my first eReader then later upgrading to a Kindle. I still read on my PC, My Phone, Kindle and now Kindle Fire. I never have eye strain issues. I suspect that fonts come largely into play with reading comfortable with LCD, that and keeping the monitor brightness down.

01-26-2012, 02:24 PM	#22
Quexos Member Retired Posts: 1,999 Karma: 11348924 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Limbo Device: none	I've briefly perused some pdf files but never read them fully and certainly not full books. I don't find the computer screen comfortable enough for long reading sessions.

01-26-2012, 02:33 PM	#23
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	The biggest problem I have with reading on my PC is since I got my new glasses, the progressive part of the lens is positioned too low causing me to have to tilt my head back in order for the screen to be in focus. Since my job requires me to use a computer extensively this is also a problem at work. With my tablet or a laptop, that's not a problem as I can just hold it lower in my field of vision, but with a desktop monitor; not so easy! I should really take my glasses back to COSTCO and have new lenses ground but those round tuits are always hard to come by.

01-26-2012, 03:14 PM	#24
vulcan_girl Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 1010345 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: PRS 350	I used to read on my monitor at work (pdf format). I liked to see the entire page at once and advance a page at a time, so it had to be at 69% or so, which was kind of small. It did the job until I got an ereader, but I don't like reading on a PC at all.

Advert

Advert