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Last modified January 8, 2010

The Silent PC^® was added to the World Wide Web in November 1998. At that time there was little written on the acoustic aspect of information technology ergonomics, and there were few signs of any market for acoustic comfort. At the same time were many people, the site author included, heard complaining about the noise emissions from their computers. It was also early recognized that building very quiet computers wasn't too complicated, or too expensive: It was obvious that industry lacked incentive to produce quiet products. These were the four main reasons for creating a web page on the IT noise issue.

To improve readability was the first single page in November 2001 divided into several ones. The site was moved from home.swipnet.se/tr/silence.html to www.silent.se May 2003. The ISO 9296 page was created June 2003.

The leaves were part of the single page layout the first years.

We have since 1998 seen an enormous increase of interest in noiseless computing. Where there used to be little to find when searching the World Wide Web for the subject, can we now find hundreds of thousands of references. Low levels of noise emissions are today often regarded a natural aspect of IT ergonomics, and in most IT related magazines and at most IT related web sites is it at this point possible to find hardware reviews including products' acoustic aspects, and advertisements for quiet PCs and components for to build quiet PCs. There are now several most initiated hardware reviewing web sites specifically focusing on low-noise computing.

Acoustic comfort is also clearly becoming a product and service differentiator in other areas than for IT equipment: The automotive, air-conditioning, home appliance, building, hotel, train, heavy equipment and aircraft industries are just a few examples of business fields that nowadays invest a lot money to achieve low levels of distracting sounds, and in sound quality engineering.

My name is Tomas Risberg. I am a physician, specialist in neurology and from 2010 specializing in psychiatry. The web site is a spare time project. Since 2004 I also do some work as consultant in, and participate in the standardization activities necessary for to improve the acoustic comfort market. I am autodidact in the acoustical and computer sciences.

I am member of The Swedish Acoustical Society and The Ergonomics Society of Sweden.

  I live in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. You can click the flag if you want to learn more about my country. Here is a also good short version by Economist.com

Here are a few articles and a radio series where The Silent PC web site has been mentioned:

The Silent PC web site is an independent publication. It has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by any of the companies or other sources here mentioned or cited. What at some instances might seem like advertisements for individual products, companies, organizations and nations is in fact:

The Silent PC since 1998 is a mark, since 2003 a trademark and since June 3, 2005 a registered trademark of Tomas Risberg, Sweden. This doesn't mean that my site is commercial, but I earn money on spin-off effects.

Yamaha® Corporation owns the trademark rights to use of the word silent for some other international classes in the European Union, and possible also other countries: Community Trademark Registration no. 2194256 international class 09 and no. 2235836 international class 15, 37 & 41.

This site's author does of course not claim the rights to use the word silent for the international classes above, and hopes that mutual respect for long-term investments makes it possible for both trademarks to coexist.

The Silent PC web site is by no means affiliated with Yamaha Corporation.

Yamaha is a registered trademark of Yamaha Corporation.

I always try to come as close to the truth as possible. This implies that something that was stated here one month, may change the next.

Human error is always possible, and I do not warrant that my web site's information is accurate or complete. Readers should confirm the information here provided from other sources prior to use.

The Silent PC web site is labeled with ICRA.

I appreciate dialogue, and any suggestions for further improvement of my site.

Companies that think what they offer could interest the audience of The Silent PC web site may of course also e-mail me. I ask for a link back as a favor in return. I don't do product reviews, or advertising, but you may want to pay for my knowledge.

Here is where to write: Tomas.Risberg@silent.se

First: Thanks a lot to the information technology industry for having developed the fantastic products that made this site at all possible! The content here would also never have been what it is if it wasn't for all the e-mail responses to it. Therefore: Thanks to everybody that have contributed their most valuable suggestions for the site. Thanks also for all encouraging mail.

Special gratitude is pointed to:

The site is intended to work best with a screen resolution of 1024 x 768, but be readable on resolutions as low as 640 x 480.

The small colored bullets (  &  ) are intended for those who visit the site regularly. They are removed as the item has been on the site for some months.

The Silent PC web site is, as stated at the bottom of every page, copyrighted intellectual property of Tomas Risberg 1998-2010. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of the site author is prohibited.

Exceptions from this copyright statement are of course cited text, external sources' trademarks, logos, copyrighted photos and documents.

Lack of respect for copyright law makes creative people less prone to be creative.

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