Micro PC's - those laptops that have the smaller foot print than a normal laptop. Q. Has anyone come acros any issues with micro pc's in addition to normal DSE problems? We have two members of staff now working a min of two days a week at home and prefer these micro pc's due to their reduced weight but cannot help feeling with their smaller size other issues may be hidden waiting to cause problems. Any suggestions? Badger

Barrie I haven't come across this one, yet, but guess that it is only a matter of time. I can understand the wieght 'thing'. The guidance that we have produced recognises that laptops have a part to play in 'mobile' operations but requires that where 'laptops' are used in a more 'fixed' situation (such as you refer to), that a seperate mouse and keyboard are used. You may want to consider a similar approach?

Smurf One of the chaps is our snr software programmer and insists he's ok working with it much against my protestations and recommendation for something bigger. Phil, Would it be possible to veiw your assmt for comparison against mine pls, just in case I've missed something, thanks. Badger

Barrie, Not wishing to knock I.T bods (if only because they are as unpopular as we are) but I would be inclined to remove the opportunity for them to do their work on a 'Minibook'. Chances are, working in I.T, they will ignore you and do it anyway but if you refuse to provide 'Minibooks' it will help to control the risk and just as importantly your employers liability. IMHO the weight arguement is an excuse. I have a photo with both in for comaprison. I wish I could show it on here because I think it would really highlight the difference! IOSH I.T Dept. Might be a conflict of interests for you but any chance of being allowed to post it? John

I thought as much. Just tell him not to use it and to use the equipment provided. He won't, but that then becomes his decision.

Hi There should be no problem with issuing any of the aforementioned kit (NetBooks, Mini Netbooks, etc.) - most of these often come with full-sized keyboards or one's that are 85% of the size of a standard keyboard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netbook). The point of the DSE Regulations is to make an assessment - not to make a rash judgement of banning people from using such items over what you "think" may provide a negative outcome. Make an assessment, provide the individual with the relevant information, monitor the user's experiences and regularly review the assessment. Everyone's a winner.

Martin - would that it were that simple. Netbooks are not the same as palmtops, tablets and PDAs, all of which are in regular use as DSE without external hardware. The law in the UK as it currently stands does not permit you to run your office from a smartphone, because it has no workstation to assess. Everyone carries on doing it, but the wording of DSER is very plain - you must assess the *workstation*, not just the equipment, and if that might be a bench in the park or the back of a van, you cannot comply. For example, DSER.1(4)(b) exempts equipment "on board a means of transport", but nobody bothered to define what that means. If I carry a laptop onto a train, am I exempt; or is it just the touchscreen in the driver's cab? There's an answer, but you won't find it written down. HSG90 page 11 admits you have to do all the assessments but carefully avoids the fact they don't make sense. I'm not arguing the devices are the problem - they're evidentially not - it's the law that's the ass in this case, because it was written so long ago the draughtsmen assumed all computers were beige and lived under a desk.

That's kinda the same thing - there is no evidence handhelds and PDAs have caused significant health effects YET when used correctly and with common sense. Everything could potentially be shown to be dangerous if you keep at it long enough, even reading forum messages. 'Personal' users sometimes get sore thumbs and tired eyes, but you're not likely to be Tweeting 300 times a day as part of your job, or playing Doom for 6 hours straight. There's often a lot of interaction with a PDA-size device in a workplace but it's extremely granular, so your eyes get the chance to relax. The biggest risk to health is being bricked by a hoodie who wants your phone. We know pretty much what the mobile platform capabilities will be for the next 5 years, and apart from significant convergence the overall direction is as now - multifunction devices that do lots of things but in small app-sized chunks, not something to write a novel on. We're going to be closing the gap on external interfaces very soon, so smartphones will link to a conventional-size display (they can already link to keyboards), however the movement of data into the cloud means as the devices penetrate more, you actually need them less. Why sit in the car and stare at a 3" screen on the phone, when the same data is available on a 12" display in the dashboard?

Interesting idea but the screen would have to be fitted with an interlok connected to the hand brake. It is illegal to have a screen visible from the drivers position unless it purpose is solely for Sat nav, positioning cameras or both but must not be capable of any other function. But people do write novels on laptops whilst sat on the couch crouched over the coffee table because the laptop is the only computer they have and they don't have an office at home. The technology has been made smaller and IMHO when processing speeds catch up they will try to do the same on the smaller machines.

Not true. The driver must not be _distracted_, but the information on a display is not defined even in territories with legislation covering in-car VDUs (such as the USA and Korea), nor the need for physical interlocks. Of course you can't watch a movie or answer an email at 100mph, but that's because of the definition of "distracting". If a console VDU were only permitted to display sat-nav, every BMW with i-drive would be banned.

Ever noticed how forum threads can take unexpected handbrake turns....?