Introduction to Computing Fundamentals

If you're going to be working through this course, competing in a Capture the Flag (CTF), or just binging Netflix because you deserve it, these are a few changes you can put into your life that will make you a happier and healthier person.

Ergonomics

We spend too much time in front of our computers, and over a long enough period of time, this can have negative effects on our bodies. We will summarize this quick guide to get you set up right.

• Monitor
  • We want our monitors to be at an arms distance away, right at eye level
  • This forces our necks to be up and our backs to not hunch
  • Your monitor likely needs to be raised up on books to get to the right height
• Chair:
  • Set your chair at a height where your feet are flat on the ground
  • Adjust armrests so that your elbows and forearms are parallel to the ground
  • This will require your keyboard to be at the same level as your chair, which often requires and under desk tray

• Mouse Use

  • When using a mouse, keep on the same level as your keyboard and keep forearms straight
  • Overall you want to minimize use and learn to use the keyboard, mostly so you look cool

• Laptops

  • Laptops are terrible for ergonomics because of the monitor and keyboard being so close together
  • The cheapest answer is to buy a USB keyboard/mouse so you can raise the monitor on a stack of books or similar items and have the keyboard at the appropriate level
  • Sitting on a couch or in bed with a laptop is about the worst thing you can do for your back. If you are doing serious work, get to a desk with an appropriate setup

Now fix your setup so that everything aligns properly. This is an investment in yourself.

Blue Light and Brightness

• Drop the brightness on your computer as far as you can. Just trust me.
• Are you used to your eyes hurting after too long on the computer? This is mostly from the blue light. There's a ton of research you can read to prove it, or you can turn it on.
  • Windows 10 Blue Light Filter
  • Mac Night Shift
  • If you are on Linux use this link to find a method you're comfortable with.
  • If you are on an old version of Windows that doesn't have it yet, just update to Windows 10 please.
• It is also an option to get blue light filtering glasses if you have money to blow. You should buy a pair from Blenders. I'm not sponsored, but I used to live next to them and they're a chill team so they deserve money.
  • If we're really being honest, you can get cheap pairs from Amazon and they'll be like 1/5 the price and do basically the same thing.

Dark Mode

I'm sorry, but I'm not a good web developer. HTML and CSS are as hard as anything out there. Despite everyone asking for a dark mode (so they can feel like a cool hacker), I don't plan on implementing one with my current skillset. My solution is to tell you to install a dark mode extension for your browser if you want dark modes. I use https://mybrowseraddon.com/dark-mode.html. It doesn't work perfectly, but it is easier on the eyes, and you can use it for all websites, not just Roppers. I recommend you use option "blue dark", 10 down on class A of general dark styles. Hopefully y'all aren't here for my web design skills.