How necessary are those wrist-strap things?

[WhiteTigerShiro]

So I was browsing along in Best Buy the other day, when I noticed that they sell those little wrist straps (do they have an actual name?). Having started to get into the habit of working on my own computer, I decided I might get one, but then decided against it for the moment. See, I have a number of friends who work on computers, and I've never seen any of them using a wrist strap while doing so.

So it has me wondering: Are they being needlessly careless, or are those wrist straps really not as essential as those little static shock warnings on electronics have you believe?

 

[rezboyjoey]

I'm always grounded when I work on electronics just in case. Why risk a $300 piece of hardware to a stupid electric shock? You don't need to buy anything fancy though, normally I just use a copper wire tied to a metal watch.

Edit: As to how necessary they really are, I've seen RAM get fried by the kind of shock you'd get from walking across the carpet in your socks and touching a doorknob. Have you ever seen how computer parts are made? They're incredibly careful about this kind of stuff.

 

[cenebi]

Being grounded is something every tech knows they should do, but generally don't think about unless they're working on a system they don't own. It's usually enough to just make sure a part of your skin is touching a metal part of the computer case or something, but there really isn't any excuse for not using a wrist strap.

As for the straps, they're called static wristbands and they are to keep you grounded, but as long as you tie yourself to a metal part of the computer you're working on using a copper wire or something, you'll be fine.

 

[rezboyjoey]

Found an article on it for you WhiteTigerShiro:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/82184/avoid_static_damage_to_your_pc.html

*

Welcome to the escapist cenebi

 

[o_O]

Meh. I tend to keep myself in contact with the metal case when I'm working on it. If I need two hands to do something, I'll have my lower arms touching metal or something.

Yeah, I'm a cheapass.

 

[jacx]

thats what the pouches are for to

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

Alright, thanks for the replies.