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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: patrickgeekhack on Thu, 23 December 2010, 11:51:54

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: patrickgeekhack on Thu, 23 December 2010, 11:51:54

Does the typical office lighting produce enough UV to make white keyboards become yellow?

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: sixty on Thu, 23 December 2010, 11:56:12

Probably not. Our office here is not very well lit, but the few rooms that have decent lighting still have all the white computer parts as white as they probably could be.

I think modern plastics might not be as sensitive to sunlight and yellowing in general anymore anyway. My parents are both heavy smokers, yet their g81 keyboard is still pretty white, despite being in the room for over two years.

I dunno though, some plastic expert might reply with more helpful information!

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: Ekaros on Thu, 23 December 2010, 12:06:10

I don't recall my Microsoft Internet keyboard being specialy yellow, and it spent a few years next to single fluorecent tube... Ofcourse this was just home use...

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: patrickgeekhack on Thu, 23 December 2010, 14:45:11

I was thinking about the Model M and the AEK (still to be delivered). The Model M is still beige.

In the past, I have seen the Microsoft Elite keys becoming yellow while the shell stayed white.

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: elbowglue on Thu, 23 December 2010, 14:51:28

I rub suntan lotion all over my compaq MX11800's to prevent UV damage.  My Compaq likes the way hawaiian tropic smells.

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: typo on Thu, 23 December 2010, 16:45:17

unless you hold it up to the fixture. well, i don't know how reactive those keys are. there is hardly any uv where you sit from a modern t8 or even t12. i would not deal with that crap anyways. since i am the boss were i work i have installed quality full spectrum cfl cans that are formulated to stop uv wavelengths. at least stick a ge sunstik(chroma 50) up there. standard fl office lighting should be a thing of the past imo.

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: patrickgeekhack on Thu, 23 December 2010, 18:57:05

Quote from: elbowglue;267962

I rub suntan lotion all over my compaq MX11800's to prevent UV damage.  My Compaq likes the way hawaiian tropic smells.

Are serious? I tend to avoid anything greasy close to my keyboards. But sometimes, I have to. I have very dry hands, and I need to use hand lotion. Having a baby and having to wash my hands many times a day don't help.

Quote from: typo;268021

unless you hold it up to the fixture. well, i don't know how reactive those keys are. there is hardly any uv where you sit from a modern t8 or even t12. i would not deal with that crap anyways. since i am the boss were i work i have installed quality full spectrum cfl cans that are formulated to stop uv wavelengths. at least stick a ge sunstik(chroma 50) up there. standard fl office lighting should be a thing of the past imo.

Unfortunately, I am not the boss :-(

Quote from: ripster;268099

Damn.  I was hoping for pictures of babes in tanning booths.

Haha! I don't like tanning salon. In fact, I don't understand the obsession about tanning. I don't understand women in Canada (North America?). They hate wrinkle, yet they like to look tanned. Tanning is really bad for the skin.

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: elbowglue on Thu, 23 December 2010, 21:54:20

Quote from: patrickgeekhack;268105

Are serious? I tend to avoid anything greasy close to my keyboards. But sometimes, I have to. I have very dry hands, and I need to use hand lotion. Having a baby and having to wash my hands many times a day don't help.

Hehe yeah I'm just jokin around :) Sorta putting human attributes to my keyboards or something.  Can you imagine slathering sun tan lotion on a keyboard that's sick :)

Hmmm. Maybe this is why I have trouble selling my keyboards in the classified section..???

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: patrickgeekhack on Sun, 26 December 2010, 20:35:53

Quote from: elbowglue;268146

Hehe yeah I'm just jokin around :) Sorta putting human attributes to my keyboards or something.  Can you imagine slathering sun tan lotion on a keyboard that's sick :)

Well, I have seen people do things that don't seem very "common sense." As a scuba diver, to prevent my mask from fogging, I had to spit in it, spread the spit on the surface, and then rinse the mask. Whenever I tell this to someone who is going to try scuba diving for the first time, I get the odd "gross" look.

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: bladamson on Sun, 26 December 2010, 21:35:46

Quote from: patrickgeekhack;269284

Well, I have seen people do things that don't seem very "common sense." As a scuba diver, to prevent my mask from fogging, I had to spit in it, spread the spit on the surface, and then rinse the mask. Whenever I tell this to someone who is going to try scuba diving for the first time, I get the odd "gross" look.

I haven't heard that one!

I rub a really thin layer of dish soap on the inside of the visor on my motorcycle helmet to keep it from fogging up.

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: keyb_gr on Mon, 27 December 2010, 14:11:15

Interesting thread.

I also doubt regular lighting levels would be sufficient to give any yellowing. I have an Intellimouse Optical which shows slight yellowing on top and on the side where the window is, though it has never seen direct sunlight. The side with the floor lamp shows the least.

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: msiegel on Mon, 27 December 2010, 14:26:24

i just had a disturbing thought. if a keyboard or mouse is pretty yellowed, doesn't that mean more of the flame retardants are near or at the surface... and we're touching them a lot more??

that stuff is not supposed to be good for you 0_o
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brominated_flame_retardant

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: RoboKrikit on Mon, 27 December 2010, 17:21:31

Quote from: msiegel;269464

i just had a disturbing thought. if a keyboard or mouse is pretty yellowed, doesn't that mean more of the flame retardants are near or at the surface... and we're touching them a lot more??

that stuff is not supposed to be good for you 0_o
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brominated_flame_retardant

Dunno how easily it actually comes off of the surface, but I definitely won't be eating sloughed-off Retr0bright anytime soon. :yuck:

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: microsoft windows on Mon, 27 December 2010, 19:37:23

Quote from: ripster;269467

If you heat a IBM key the stuff bubbles to the outside.

Ewwwww......

Show Image

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5250/5297309499_27231d6d3c_z.jpg)

And what does this have to do with chewing gum?

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: ynih on Tue, 28 December 2010, 01:59:59

Nothing is good for you, in large amounts...

Title: Office lighting and white keyboards
Post by: Konrad on Tue, 28 December 2010, 02:59:46

Quote from: sixty;267850

I think modern plastics might not be as sensitive to sunlight and yellowing in general anymore anyway ... I dunno though, some plastic expert might reply with more helpful information!

I found an expert here (http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/189).
(http://www.vintagecomputing.com/wp-content/images/snes_plastic/deanin_small.jpg)