An application to make people take a break, and save their wrists and livelihood at the same time. TakeABreak is a simple programme which periodically reminds you to stop using the keyboard and give your tendons and muscles a chance to remove the poisons which build up while you concentrate on the computer. Deliberately, TakeABreak just plays a sound, it doesn't freeze the computer or force you to stop, it just reminds you. Personally I find software which forces you to stop very irritating and my own sense of will is enough to remind me to actually stop and stretch. If you think you need a more aggressive defence against RSI or OOS I suggest you look elsewhere as there are programmes that will take over your computer and make you wait (hopefully exercising while you try to remember what it was you were typing).
Wrist problems are no joke and as a professional who intends to keep using a keyboard for at least the next ten years (until voice recognition systems get much better) I regarded the slight twinges in my wrist with considerable alarm. TakeABreak was written to fill a niche as a simple, no fuss, reminder as I found the alternatives rather over the top. For me, taking many breaks and temporarily reducing my keyboard use (i.e. not playing keyboard intensive games) has helped immensely and almost all discomfort has gone in around one month, a colleague is still working reduced hours and wearing wrist braces four months after her first encounter with RSI. If you are suffering discomfort please take it seriously and see a doctor if pain persists. Software like TakeABreak is only part of the solution, you should analyse your working habits and act to reduce the causes of pain.
TakeABreak is distributed as a faceless background application. It only requires 250K of ram to do its thing and you can reduce this to 150K if you are not adding your own sounds (or after you have finished doing so). The only interface is the splash screen and associated dialogue that appears when it initially starts up. TakeABreak requires System 7 and will gracefully quit under earlier systems. Having AppleScript present is also very useful. I recommend that you put TakeABreak into your system folder in the startup items folder and it will startup every time you turn the computer on. If you really need the memory being used by TakeABreak, the supplied AppleScript applet will quit TakeABreak for you.
TakeABreak has two settings which can be adjusted in the settings dialogue. What sound is played, including the option of recording your own sounds (subject to available memory) and how often. I recommend somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes but you should experiment and find the setting that works best for you. TakeABreak will check to see if you are running a screensaver using AppleEvents and will not play if a screensaver is active (this works for most common screensavers including AfterDark and DarkSide of the Mac).
TakeABreak is free as a service to other Macintosh users out there, I'd rather see more of us than have people fall by the side as walking wounded. I retain the copyright but you may freely copy this and give it to your friends. If you like it please email me so I can guage the interest (helps keep me enthusiastic while coding into the wee small hours 8-) You may not charge specifically for this software, if you payed for it, you were had. I would appreciate a copy of any CD collection this appears on. Source code is available on request from the address below.
If you have any suggestions for new features, bugs that you have found or thank-yous please send them to Stephen.Marshall@vuw.ac.nz. Its always nice to hear from users and even criticism is valuable. The latest version of TakeABreak is available over the WWW at the following URL:
Please note that you get what you pay for. I offer no warranty for the software and accept no responsibility if it eats you cat, your computer, your wrists or your mother-in-law. I have taken due care in its creation but you should always back up your important files regularly as accidents can happen. The software is offered as a reminder to help users help themselves and no warranty for suitability is offered. You should consult a doctor if you are suffering pain or discomfort while using a computer and cease activities which cause such pain and discomfort. Use of the software indicates acceptance of these conditions. Liability in any circumstances is limited to the cost of the software.
TakeABreak is not a product of Victoria University of Wellington, and no support or endorsement of it as a product by the university should be inferred. I merely work there.
Trademarks referred to remain the property of their respective owners. No endorsement of products or services by Stephen Marshall or Victoria University of Wellington is implied.
