App or software that can be used to pop-up a small message o

As such things usually irritate people let me first say why I ask the question. Many people, particularly those of an older persuasion, suffer neck ache - I know I do. Also, and I say this as a retired occupational health doctor who had dealt with many such sufferers, it is aggravated by what I usually refer to as VDU neck. We start off sitting in a good position and gradually over the course of a few minutes, the neck and back bends forward and the nose approaches the VDU. I've seen it frequently and I do it myself.
So back to the app. I would like to find an app that will pop-up a small message on my VDU, somewhere not too obtrusive but clearly visible, saying something like "sit back" or something similar. That will remind me to sit properly. Eventually I may get fed up with the pop-up and I will either switch it off, or hopefully stop leaning forward. At the moment I am hook a length of shock cord which loops loosely round my chest and the back of my chair and reminds me to sit back as it tightens.
The clinical bit of me wonders what sort of reaction I will get to this!!

Maybe a continuing or every 2 hours reminder in the Calendar app?

EDIT: just saw this posted, might give it look-see:

I have a different problem, but it's also posture related when sitting. My issue is with my lower back. It bothers me when I sit too long and creates other issues. When I went to physical therapy years ago, I noticed that the therapists all used height adjustable monitor/laptop stands and they always stood whenever they were working on their computers. Later on, I started thinking about it, and raised my monitor so that I could also stand instead of sitting for long periods of time which affects my posture. It took a while to get used to it, but now I actually prefer standing and I think it's also improved my posture and symptoms for the better. Anyway, that's my story.

Create your own Custom Toast Notification:


Or create a small document with an appropriate message.

Then run what you have created as a Task Scheduler scheduled message.

Alternative suggestions might be to invest in a new Office Chair? Some of them have higher backs to them, and come with their own back support cushion.

If you suffer from neck pain, then also consider Chair Yoga as a way of finding a more natural posture.

I didn't want to get involved in the Occ Health aspects as I felt I was probably off topic anyway, but I have to agree that yes, you should get a decent chair if spending a lot of time on it, so thanks for the comment.
But if you don't maintain a decent posture while working no matter how good the chair is, it won't help. Hence my search for a way to prompt the user to sit up properly using the thing they are looking at ie the VDU.
Thanks too for the suggestion - I'll have a look at that.

Well, I think I am of the "older persuasion" (74) and my nose is never less than 2 feet from my monitor. I don't move closer to the VDU over time. If I did, I would get a new pair of glasses. How close do you get?

The only time I have ever been closer is when we use to program using the old ASR-33 teletype machines (~1968). When the ribbon started to get worn, it's was difficult to see what it was printing. Ahh, the smell of fresh gear oil in the morning. And that was well before I needed to wear glasses.

Now, when I am working at my computer desk, radio desk, or work bench, I have a nice soft high-back chair and wear a pair of grocery store, single vision, glasses that makes my vision focus to be from 1 foot to about 3 feet "maximum". Anything outside that range is a blur, but anything within that range is clear and easy to see.

I also have a special pair of bi-focal lenses that are specifically for working at a busy desk or lab bench. This is where you have multiple pieces of test equipment, at or above eye level, that need to be monitored/adjusted. Plus lots drawing prints and spec sheets (6pt font). At work, I would wear them with a string around my neck, so I could quickly switch to my normal bi-focal lenses, when I stood up and tried to walk around. It was common to refer to someone with glasses as "four eyes". But they had to call me "six eyes".

I don't know the the old ASR-33 teletype machines (~1968), started using WU TeleType Model 28 in '60 in the Navy for 2 years then in the FAA next 32 years.

Ian,

If you want unobtrusive then why not use a verbal warning rather than an onscreen notice?
It seems to me that an unobtrusive onscreen notice will not get noticed.
You could generate MsgBoxes. They can be simple but they are in your face, very ununobtrusive.



Just to show you the sort of thing that can be done, copy this into a text file, rename it with a ps1 file extension (e.g. SpeechTest-Sigurd-NeckWarning.ps1), right click & select Run with PowerShell.
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.speech $speak = New-Object System.Speech.Synthesis.SpeechSynthesizer $speak.Speak('Ian, Sit back or your neck will start aching again')
I've attached a copy as well.


It's rather a pain in the neck stopping PowerShell from opening a distracting window when it runs scripts so I often use the older VBScript for such jobs.
SpeechTest-Sigurd-NeckWarning.vbs
You just double-click on it to run it.
It runs without creating a window at all.
CreateObject("SAPI.SPVoice").Speak "Ian, Sit back or your neck will start aching again"
Also attached [zipped up cos the forum does not like posting the vbs file extension].


Whichever you choose
- There are umpteen refinements to the idea.
- You could run it as a Task scheduler task every, say, 30 mins.


All the best,
Denis

@K7MEM - The distance to the VDU is not the critical bit - it's the posture of of the person using it. I have frequently seen VDU users I have assessed because of back pain, starting in a good sitting position and as the get engrossed in detailed work, gradually leaning forward towards the screen and ending up with a bad posture. Hence my search for a prompt to remind one to sit back properly.
(Denis - not had time to try your suggestion - my wife is not very well at the moment - but it sound promising).
Ian (G4DSi - inactive).

Hi Dennis
Thanks for your suggestion re posture prompt. I'm using it via Task Manager and it works great.
Mind if I share the vbs with a couple of friends who also suffer from nose on screen syndrome?
I used to use vbs to create a few apps I needed, one being to create a prescription writing one after doctors got a directive saying they had to be printed - can't think why
I no longer have VBS - too expensive and no use for it. Is there any simple way of editing message to simply "Sit back properly"
Thanks for the neck saver!

Sigurd said:

I didn't want to get involved in the Occ Health aspects as I felt I was probably off topic anyway, but I have to agree that yes, you should get a decent chair if spending a lot of time on it, so thanks for the comment.
But if you don't maintain a decent posture while working no matter how good the chair is, it won't help. Hence my search for a way to prompt the user to sit up properly using the thing they are looking at ie the VDU.
Thanks too for the suggestion - I'll have a look at that.

Click to expand...

I find using one of those "wooden beads" that some taxi drivers use on their car seats work incredibly well -- those people are sitting all day long in car seats - not the most comfortable of seats at the best of times - so they must know something. I find them very comfortable to use but whatever you choose always take a break every so often and have a walk around.

Cheers
jimbo

Ian,

You can share the script with whoever you want.

You do have VBS. It's included in the OS. You demonstrated that you have it by running the script.
VBS is not the full Visual Basic Studio that you might be thinking of. VBS's full name is Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition.
You can edit the script in Notepad or any other text editor.
- Just replace my suggested text with whatever you want.
- Check afterwards that you have left in the " at each end of the text.
- Be wary of editing scripts in MSWord. It likes to change "" into “” fancy curved quotes that scripts do not interpret correctly.

You can set up Task scheduler to run the script periodically.
- That might be what you meant by Task manager in

Sigurd said:

I'm using it via Task Manager and it works great.

Click to expand...

- Always test the edited script manually first.
- This is an example of what to put in the TS, Action tab.

All my scripts & portable apps [in Windows 10 & Windows 11] are within a decently-protected C:\Tools folder.
Set up my Tools folder ditty - TenForums - read from Setting my Permissions on my scripts folder


I kept the VBS Help file from, I think, Windows XP in 2001.
The same file can be downloaded from:-
Windows Scripting 5.6 Documentation by Ryan Farley [http site]
Both the Help file I have & the downloadable copy are the latest that were published.
Both omit the ShellExecute command
ShellExecute (Undocumented) - SS64
There is also general VBS guidance in
VBScript Commands - SS64
VBScript forum - SS64

Some people dislike VBS because it was used as a delivery mechanism for malware some time back. You might as well ban pens because they have been used by fraudsters.

I use VBS several times every day. I use it as an intermediary when launching batch files from Task scheduler.
Make Task scheduler run a batch file minimised and with a specific icon - TenForums


All the best,
Denis

The prompt is working well. I currently am trying it set to prompt every 15 minutes and every time I find my posture has deteriorated from the proper one. As my sitting habit improves I should be able to lengthen the time between prompts.
I think I may share this on the Orthopaedic section of the medical forum I use.
Thanks Dennis.

Jimbo - I have never had to consider the problem in respect of taxi drivers, but the basic postural principles will apply. As for the beads you mention, I can't see how they would help posture, though I can see how they may help comfort by allowing some air circulation. But if it helps you, great!

There are many reference on-line to sitting well. eg

I would certainly encourage people to address this issue. While it would help everyone, younger members would benefit most long term. I spent a lot of my working life sitting and using computers and blame bad posture for many of my current problems.