My hands hurt by the end of the week and I have ergonomic peripherals - all paid for myself (because it was much worse without). As for ergonomic setup - really that's up to the employers, not much you can do about that if they've done a bad job. You can only control your home environment.

Another thing: direct pain, hands and wrists hurting is pretty obvious. In retrospect I am pretty sure I was suffering before from damage due to excessive computer use (before I even thought about things like ergonomic peripherals) that was much less obvious. Like my arms would feel heavy as lead some days, I wouldn't know why. I'd try to force myself to work and it seemed endlessly difficult (no not just distracted though I have my fair share of that - not even lack of mental energy and not just tired - my limbs *themselves* seemed to *resist* with all their being). I would wonder what was wrong with me (psychological, dietary, to much or too little caffeine, what?). I really do think in retrospect that was probably due to using computers without ergonomic peripherals - low level nerve damage or whatever.

I think a certificate could only be a positive, but maybe not necessary. I like, much much much prefer, learning those types of things in a more formal setting, but that's me. As for transferring the Office to other computers, what are we talking about? A CD? Then yea you can install it on multiple computers (it may have a limit of how many). A download, I don't know, I would much prefer a hard CD than a download (likely available at ANY office supply store - Staples, Office Depot, etc.).