lighting : Computer Hardware Buyers’ Glossary

• Adjustable placement

  You want to be able to position the light so that you don’t get glare on your screen. Glare is mainly a problem with sunlight coming in through a window. The main way to deal with that is how you place your desk relative to any windows. A cheap gooseneck lamp that won’t stay firmly in position will drive you nuts. You also want a way to illuminate the wires and connectors if you need to service them, perhaps a second small lamp you can place under the desk when needed. An example of a good design is the Verilux Heritage desk lamp (pictured above) which has three screw clamps to give you fine firm control.

• Adjustable brightness

  For most work you want lighting subdued, but when you have to read fine print, you would like nice bright light. You need sufficient light to run a solar calculator. Fluorescents require special electronic dimming circuitry usually built into the lamp. Keep in mind that a 70 watt fluorescent is as bright as a 280 watt incandescent.

• Energy Conservation

  Fluorescent light uses about 1/4 as much energy as incandescent. Halogen uses almost as much energy as incandescent. In Australia, incandescents are no longer sold. They are too wasteful of energy. LED (Light-Emitting Diode) lamps are not quite as efficient as fluorescents, but they are rugged and last indefinitely. LEDs are now almost as efficient as fluorescent. When you read about desk lamps you will come across the term CFL (Compact Fluorencent). These are fluoresent bulbs sized and with bases designed to fit in incandescent light sockets.

  

• Full Spectrum

  Full spectrum that mimics natural sunlight makes for easier reading, and better aesthetics.

• Bulb Availability

  Make sure the bulbs your lamp needs are available from several sources at reasonable cost. Rona sells a lamp for which you cannot buy a replacement bulb — a rather expensive disposable lamp.

• Diffusion

  You don’t want a spotlight that will cast harsh shadows. You want as large a light-emitting surface as possible with frosted glass to diffuse the light.

• Stability

  For reasons I don’t fully understand, lamps near computer desks tend to tip over more often than normal. It could be the tangle of cords, or the swivel desk chairs, or simply the extreme concentration computer work demands. You want a broad, heavy base. You can’t evaluate this just from looking at a picture. You want to go to a show room to check the lamps out, even if you search for a bargain source later. Consider
  • desk lamp
  • floor lamp on a pole. Make sure it is tall enough to be useful.
  • ceiling style lamp installed on a swag hook that plugs into the wall. You can adjust the height. This saves cluttering your floor space and desk space with a lamp stand.

I chose an Energy Star Torchiere flourescent lamp, as depicted on the right, from Canadian Tire for  $60.00 CAD . It has in built-in electronic dimmer switch.