ANTenna Blog -- Hardware & Software

Repetitive strain injuries are a serious problem for millions of computer users -- and, of course, for the companies that employ them. If you're looking for a better way to avoid workplace-related RSI problems, this open-source application could be just what you're looking for.

Workrave is designed to do exactly one thing: help users to avoid repetitive strain injuries. Here is what a recent article by Free Software Magazine columnist Ryan Cartwright had to say about the software:

"Once RSI became an accepted risk in the workplace, corporate software was quick to surface as employers and employees searched for solutions and ways to manage the risk. Most of these are simply timers. Workrave was developed to produce a more rounded solution, initially for GNU/Linux but is now also available for FreeBSD, HP-UX, Solaris and Windows as well.

Workrave works by monitoring and timing your use of the computer, prompting to you take breaks at set intervals. An important difference between Workrave and other such software I have come across is that it has three types of break and it pauses the timer if you are not using either the keyboard or mouse for a few seconds."

It turns out that Workrave offers a unique feature that other RSI management tools do not offer: the ability to follow users from one networked computer to another. The tool also provides a wealth of configuration options; while most employees, for example, can follow a common-sense break schedule, someone actually recovering from an injury could adhere to a much more restrictive routine.

You can visit workrave.org to learn more or to download the Workrave software.

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