I Pukkered up Butterkup

I'VE BEEN PUKERED UP for a couple of days now and still can't make my mind up.

This little plastic thing is a wrist-rest for mousers. It sits between the veiny underside of your wrist and whatever surface you waggle your mouse about on. It therefore keeps your wrist raised at what may or may not be a comfortable height. Really you have to try it for yourself to make your mind up.

Of course, what you might call my workstation is a bit of a mess. There are papers, press releases, coffee cups, leaky pens, old hard disks, screwdrivers, a wine bottle cork, business cards, nail clippers and various crusty nick-nackery scattered liberally over the surface of the desk. The monitor (CRT, of course) sits on an old wicker basket in an attempt to get it to eye level and encourage me to sit straight-backed to improve my posture, circulation and avoid RSI.

I notice as I type, however, that my legs are crossed and I'm hunched over the keyboard Quasimodo-stylee.

But I do now have a Puk.

I chose a nice pink one from the Pukkers' stand at the recent Channel Expo. It has a sold plastic base and a soft plastic top which is slightly concave in the middle. It's nice and spongy really. According to the pukkers, the base is made from a "self-lubricating, lightweight, low wear, durable, low friction plastic, developed by DuPont in the early 50s" while the spongy bit is made from "thermoplastic elastomer, a hybrid breed of plastic and rubber."

"Self lubricating." What cobblers. It's not as it if leaves a slimy snail-trail over the desk - thank heavens. It does slide about quite freely though, but then most things do as the surface of the desk is made from ceramic tiles.

Since the Puk raises my wrist by about an inch I find there's more pressure on my forearm and this isn't so smart, really. I can imagine flailing about in Doom III, not only desperately trying not to get my A and D keys messed up and keep the mouse on track but also struggling to stay pukkered up. I haven't tried it out yet because once one of those shoot 'em ups gets on my machine I find I have to get all the way through before deleting it.

So, will it become a permanent fixture on my desk? Well, no, is the frank answer. It's a bit like those keyboard wrist-rests made of fake-boob silicon and all that other paraphernalia folk anxious to avoid RSI may clutter their desks up with.

At the end of the day, it's quite a waste of resources. I'd be better off fiddling with my workspace and sitting up properly, probably on one of those big rubber balls the missus had knocking about the place when she was up the duff, and taking regular breaks and long walks.

Still, it may be for you. But only, I'd suggest, if you already find you have a problem with your wrist or find using a mouse uncomfortable. At a fiver you may find it's the best investment you've made for ages. Somehow, though, I doubt it. µ

Bartender's Verdict

L'INQ
Pukme.com