TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
I worked in office in which over 3 years 6 out of
7 people formed RSI. Out of those getting RSI, all
but one worked primarily with Interleaf. We started
out on Ileaf 3 on the Mac (Hold down the <Ctrl> key
and use the mouse, talk about shoulder strain).
Later on, we moved to Ileaf 5 on the Sun platform,
same problems (even new people--within a year of
starting in our office).
Some things to note:
1) One person working primarily on Ileaf never got it.
One person never working on Ileaf did; however, she
did use a mouse almost exclusively.
2) A few of these people worked elsewhere on the same
platform for years and never got RSI.
3) We had a very stressful work environment with lots
of politics, deadlines, low-pay, and long hours.
So, is it mice, Interleaf, stress or what?
If you want my opinion, it is all the above. I think
stress is the NUMBER ONE factor (I am interested in
opinions on this). The more stressed I am, the more
I hurt.