Chris Pirillo » desk

What Does Your Computer Desk Look Like?

Chris — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:27:25 +0000

What Does Your Computer Desk Look Like? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Apparently, my desk makes a lot of people envious. I’m not sure why, unless you factor in all the gizmos and gadgets that I have in here. I’ve uploaded pictures of my desk before, as well as videos of my home office. Ricardo told me about a website where you can talk about your desk!

On Deskography, you can upload a photo of your desk and home office setup, to share it with others. The idea is to be able to invite people from around the world to see where you work. See where people you admire spend their days and nights. Thinking about redoing your office? Browse photos of desks that people in your industry have uploaded.

If you want to brag about your desk, why not upload a picture of your own? I know some of you have sent pictures of your setup to me, and I think it’s great. It would be more exciting to share it with the entire community, right?

I love what I’ve done with my office, but that doesn’t mean you’d be happy with it yourself. Why not check out Deskography and see what else you can find? You may just find the desk of your dreams!

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How Do You Put Together Your Home Office?

Chris — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:50:09 +0000

How Do You Put Together Your Home Office? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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I can’t respond to every email I get, but I do try to answer what I can. A community member wrote in, asking for a tour of my office. He also is interested in buying the same desk that I have, and was wondering how he should go about putting it together, and setting everything up. This will now be the third person that I know of who has gotten the same setup that I have. It’s kinda cool, you know? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! He has some specific questions about my configuration, so let’s get to it!

First, he wanted to know how I power the Tix clocks on top of my hutch. Quite simple, really – there’s a power strip mounted to the back of the hutch where the clocks plug in to. If you plug them all in to the same surge protector, you can always hit the switch and reset them all at the same time if you ever need to.
Next, he wondered where all my speakers are, were the cables long enough to connect them to the sub woofer, and etc. I have one of them on the corner of the desk, near the bamboo tree. I have the cable for it running along the edge of the desk, and strung through a hole that was drilled into the desk already. The second speaker is behind the iMac. The third one is behind the left monitor. The center speaker is up top on the hutch, and the last speaker is behind me. The sub woofer is over in the corner, near a bookshelf. I keep them hidden, because I don’t need to see them. I just need to hear them.
Your UPS and connections – where is everything plugged in, and how do you not overload? I do have a couple of UPS’, and they’re behind the hutch. There’s about a foot distance between the back of the hutch and the wall. I have the two UPS’, a couple of power strips, and the like in order to keep everything plugged in and not suck up too much energy.
Your printer/chumby/phone – where are all of these things plugged into? There’s a reason this particular room is my office – it is on its own power circuit in the house. The laser printer itself uses a lot of juice when it’s going, not to mention everything else I have running. The Chumby, my phone, the sub woofer, and the amp are all behind me, and they’re plugged into a regular old power strip. Never plug a laser printer into a UPS, it’s a horrible idea.

That’s it, pretty much. I have my office set up the way that is comfortable and accessible for me. You need to create your own space. It’s really cool and fun that you want to do what I’ve done, but please keep in mind that you need to “own” your own setup. It has to work for you, or there’s no point in all the work you put into it!

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Chris’ Desk

coupons — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:59:14 +0000

Chris’ Desk is a post from Chris Pirillo

From: Zach Fay
Date: January 19, 2009 7:34:18 PM PST
To: Chris Pirillo
Subject: Chris
Hello Chris. My name is Zach.
Where did you get your desk at. I really want to know.
Please tell me?

For some unknown reason (desk envy?) we’ve been getting a bunch of requests for the make and model of Chris’ desk this month. It’s a slightly modified Bush Series C / Corsa Hansen Cherry Configuration 35 – Layout for 7′ 5″ x 8′ 5″ Workspace, which is available at EverythingOfficeFurniture.com.

Be Comfortable at your Desk

Chris — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:55:52 +0000

Be Comfortable at your Desk is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Recently, I talked about what to look for when buying a desk. I would say the number one priority should be comfort. With most of us spending large amounts of time at our desk, it is critical for our body’s health to be comfortable, and have a good grasp on ergonomics.

Take hourly breaks. It’s important that you take time away from the computer, so that you do not damage your eyes. Go and read a chapter of a book every so often so that your eyes can focus on something different than the glare of a computer screen. This also will cause less pain in your back from sitting in your computer chair, and stop any aches and pains that may start in your body.
Use any tools or features of equipment that can help to ensure comfort. For instance, if you have a keyboard with a wrist rest, then this can allow you to relax whilst typing. If you have a mouse pad with a wrist rest on it also, usually made out of a soft material, this can also come in handy.
Do not position your equipment out of reach. When you are finished typing and need to use the mouse, make sure it is close so you are not stretching over to grab it. It is also useful when buying a mouse to see if you are comfortable with the design such as where your thumb rests.
Do not use a computer whilst tired or under the influence of alcohol. With alcohol slowing down your reactions you may do something you didn’t mean to do, don’t realize or even worse… you could knock over the beer onto your keyboard. Also if you are tired, you get irritated, and you can’t perform to your best when using the computer. This will cause stress, and your work may be affected. Besides, you don’t want to cause an extra bug in that program which could be perfect with a good night’s sleep.
Sit upright, ensure you have enough leg room, and your feet are positioned so that they are flat on the ground. Also, make sure that your chair is at the right height, so that you can easily reach the keyboard and mouse.

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How to Keep a Clean Desk

Chris — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:56:21 +0000

How to Keep a Clean Desk is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Let’s face it… it’s hard as heck to keep your desk clear of clutter, and free of unnecessary junk. Let’s take a look at some ways to help us cut down on all the junk, and have a nice, tidy workspace.

Buy cable tidies. You can pick these up pretty cheap and you can get them at general stores. If you are anything like me over time, as you move things around your desk, the wires below or behind it can become tangled, and hours of frustration can occur when the time comes that you need to tidy it up. These will keep certain wires for certain pieces of equipment all separate from each other, and keep computing from being a chore.
Mark plugs with a sticking label. Be sure not to cover any fans which allow heat to leave the equipment, but you can use sticking labels to mark plugs so if you ever need to remove that piece of plugged in equipment you can do it easily, without having to unplug everything to see what is what.
Have a designated storage space for everything you need. It is useful to have a cupboard in your desk or a drawer in which you can store things, and that you know what inside. If you have some useful computing magazines, designate a cupboard or drawer on your desk so that when you need it you can go to that space and get what you need without having to try to find it under lots and lots of papers. This is also useful for printed documents etc. that need to be stored safely. If your desk does not have any storage space, perhaps invest in a filing cabinet.
Don’t let things lie around, especially liquid. Liquid next to electricity is, as always a bad idea. Make sure that you move everything like papers when you are finished with them, and if you have finished playing a computer game, don’t think you can’t be bothered to reach for a box which is at about arms length away from you to put it away. Your discs may also get damaged if you do this, and they might go missing.
Clean your work area and make sure everything is working. Often, get some tissue paper of a duster and wipe inside the nucks and crannies of your keyboard where dust can lie, and get a computer cleaning wipe to clean your screen. Never touch your screen with your fingers, and dust your desk often. After cleaning everything, make sure not with water, test that all of your equipment is plugged in and connected correctly and that all is working correctly. This will ensure that your computer will continue to work and will hopefully reduce the number of problems you have with it, and to keep clean and hygienic.

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Buying a Desk

Chris — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:55:43 +0000

Buying a Desk is a post from Chris Pirillo

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I am looking into possibly buying myself a new desk soon. These tips sent in by community member Serores will definitely come in handy for me. I hope they will for you, as well.

Size: If you’re only going to be using a laptop and maybe some books and papers, you dont have to waste your money on a huge desk. This way, you can save a lot of money and buy other things to enjoy in your home office. On the other hand, if you have a huge monster computer like the one Chris gave to Kat, you may want a bigger desk. This also depends on the kind of monitor you’re using, and if you want your computer tower on or under your desk.
Shape: Chances are, if you’ve had your house for awhile you already have a pretty cluttered office. So, here comes the question of where will you put your desk? If you want it in the corner, get a triangular one. If you want it just on the flat wall get a square one. If you want it on the ceiling, you’re looking at spending a lot of money on duct-tape… so I dont recommend that.
Compartments: If you’re the kind of person with a lot of knicknacks, papers, books, and other miscellaneous items, you may want to look into a desk with a lot of compartments. The compartments should be various sizes to fit everything you need. This is where, if you want to get fancy, you can bring a list of things you’ll have on your desk shopping with you, to remind you of what you have. This way, you can look at a desk and picture how everything would go on it.
Quality: Simple, if you have a lot of heavy stuff… you dont want your desk to fall over. Also, a good sturdy desk is best when you have kids or pets that are always jumping off the walls. Another exaple of quality is wood smoothness. If you’re an artist like me, you know what it’s like to draw on a table with gaps between the boards when you have no tablet.
Look: I know for me this would be the last thing I look at. However, for some this may be of high importantance. Pick something that matches your style and color scheme (if you have one). Also, stay away from annoying bright crazy colors that won’t let you focus on a book or the screen, because you are distracted by your desk.

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My Home Office

Chris — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 23:25:27 +0000

My Home Office is a post from Chris Pirillo

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People ask me over and over for a tour of my home office. Today, I decided to grant that request. So get comfy, and here we go!

You’re all familiar with my desk, my 30″ Dell monitors, my chair and my Tix clocks. That is the view you see every day as I stream. If we look behind my desk, you’ll notice that there is about a foot of space between the desk and the wall. That is because my actual computer tower is on the floor behind the desk, along with all the cords and connections. I hate looking at cords, and I hate messes. Thus, I put them all behind the desk so I can’t see them.

Next to the desk is a clost that Ponzi feels is way too organized. I dunno why she would think that!! I have some storage shelves and cubes that hold various things, such as software, CDs, manuals, tools and even hardware. Above that on the shelf is my PSP and the games for it. And just to prove what an addict I am, I’ll pop out the game currently IN my PSP, to show you that it is Tetris.

Now over here to the right of my normal setup you see is the Mac Mini that runs the live stream. There is no monitor for it, I run it off of a television. Below that on the shelves of the little entertainment stand, you can see the Xbox and games, along with some DVDs I love, including Christmas ones.

Ahhh, the door to the office. Across the hall is our bedroom, and we are not going on a tour of it today. Next to the door is a little table, and a bench that opens but doesn’t really have anything in it. Then, there’s the other desk that I haven’t even decided what use it should have as of yet. In that corner, you can see a large bookshelf. I love this bookshelf. On it are all my little toys, gizmos and gadgets. We all know what a gadget freak I am!

Lastly, you can see the printer/scanner/fax machine, and the little stand with the phone on it. Then… we’re back where we started. I need to fill my office up some more. The closets and shelves need more in and on them. The other desk is empty. I need THINGS, people! If you have ideas, send them to me! You can leave me a follow up comment to this video, or send an email with your ideas to me at chris@pirillo.com.

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How to Handle Remote Tech Support

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Using GoToAssist is the easiest way to view and control another person's computer online. Use it to provide instant technical support to family, friends and customers. Start a session with just one click, and instantly connect with the other party.

Network Tools for Windows

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

You need these network tools, no matter which operating systems and networks you have to support. SolarWinds ipMonitor: Affordable Network Monitoring for SMBs. Get turnkey network, server and application availability monitoring with SolarWinds ipMonitor v9.0. This easy-to-use, reliable solution for SMBs delivers out-of-the-box availability monitoring so you always know exactly what's up with Active Directory, DNS, Exchange, FTP, Web, IMAP, MS SQL Server, and SMTP. Download your free trial today. Or, try their totally free tools! And, through 2/29, save 20% when you purchase ipMonitor 9.0.

Get Your Own Web Site

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

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VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:56:13 GMT

This feed is fueled by Lockergnome Online Shopping and Coupon Codes

Before you shop next time, see if we have a coupon first.