Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers • Hacker News Board

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#131

Post by syastrov » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:22 PM UTC

throw10920 wrote: post #90

chronogram wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just don’t find laptop monitors very ergonomic. I use a 27” 4K screen and put it so far away that 200% scaling is ideal, then have the desktop disable the laptop monitor when it’s plugged in. If I’d have the office space I’d use a 65” TV as a monitor and put it many meters away, that’s just my preference.

I can upgrade your claim: laptop monitors are not ergonomic, period. Laptops force you to place your hands close to your monitor, which is really bad ergonomics - either you place the laptop low and kill your neck (looking down for long periods of time can cause spinal fusion and back problems in your 30's - careful with how you hold your cell phone:), or you place your laptop at head height and kill your wrists. If…

You can also put some books under the laptop and use it as a screen while connected to an external keyboard at desk height.

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#132

Post by ManuelKiessling » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:23 PM UTC

klyrs wrote: post #112

ManuelKiessling wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I‘m unable to find the combination of „4K“ and „curved“ and „affordable“. What model do you use?

Well... I didn't say "affordable." I spent as much on this monitor as I spent on a laptop in grad school ($700ish). Three factors for me here: I transitioned to working from home and the expense was tax-deductable; I'm not in grad school anymore; I'm very frugal, so when do make a rare purchase, I go for quality.

Cool. Would you mind sharing the make and model, though?

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#133

Post by bajsejohannes » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:26 PM UTC

dcchambers wrote: post #93

My ideal programming screen is a 1:1 square. Before I got my 4K display I tried using a 24" 1920x1080 monitor in vertical orientation, and found that even though 1080 pixels wide should be enough to render any website fine, some websites (including some pretty big/important websites) started treating my screen as a mobile device screen, hiding many elements and giving me the mobile view/UI. I guess those sites weren'…

> My ideal programming screen is a 1:1 square

I have never tried it, but to me that seems ideal too. There seems to be close to zero demand for these, though, so I could only find this very expensive and not very high DPI monitor: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1138908-REG/eizo_ev27...

$1,429.00 for a 1920 x 1920 monitor? Meh. I'd rather stick with a single large landscape monitor.

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#134

Post by lukaszkups » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:29 PM UTC

rectang wrote: post #61

gboss wrote: post #20

I prefer to work with a single large external monitor. If my device is a laptop I keep it in clamshell mode when attached to an external monitor. I find switching applications with keyboard shortcuts and focusing on one thing at a time has improved my productivity. Using two or more monitors made it so easy for me to get distracted. To each their own though.

I use a laptop and I make heavy use of workspaces. I generally don't use an external monitor at all. However, when working at a desk, I use an external keyboard and trackpad, and put the laptop on a stand. I dislike plugging into a monitor because it I hate the chaos of resizing everything. When I'm on the large monitor I unconsciously expand things; then when I switch back everything is on top of everything else or…

Totally this. I've been using Linux for so long time that I haven't realised Windows has that feature as well - when I've learned about this and WSL has been introduced I've switched immediately :)

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#135

Post by seanmcdirmid » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:29 PM UTC

can16358p wrote: post #67

Am I the only one (fullstack programmer + designer + hobby photographer) here who's perfectly okay with a single laptop monitor? Maybe it's to do with I love being mobile, maybe it's that I use UI and text very small, but I can perfectly fit either 3 Vscode tabs, or website + PIP video, a few terminals, many views in Sketch or a combination of those in a screen (16" MBP). I'm also okay with working with Photoshop or…

> Am I the only one (fullstack programmer + designer + hobby photographer) here who's perfectly okay with a single laptop monitor?

A nice display is nice. I feel way more productive on a 27" 5K imac than a 16" MBP. But I find multiple monitors to be annoying, better to have just one that is good (e.g. a 5K 27" LG or an 8K 32" Dell that I won't be able to afford anytime soon).

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#136

Post by pfkurtz » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:31 PM UTC

2560x1080 curved horizontal with editor between two vertical 1080x1920, one with terminal, one with browser.

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#137

Post by pfkurtz » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:33 PM UTC

Decabytes wrote: post #126

My ideal is one in front of me, and one rotated vertically to the left. Vertical one is for chat, terminal, and or browser

Add a vertical on the other side and achieve enlightenment.

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#138

Post by brandall10 » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:34 PM UTC

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #135

can16358p wrote: post #67

Am I the only one (fullstack programmer + designer + hobby photographer) here who's perfectly okay with a single laptop monitor? Maybe it's to do with I love being mobile, maybe it's that I use UI and text very small, but I can perfectly fit either 3 Vscode tabs, or website + PIP video, a few terminals, many views in Sketch or a combination of those in a screen (16" MBP). I'm also okay with working with Photoshop or…

> Am I the only one (fullstack programmer + designer + hobby photographer) here who's perfectly okay with a single laptop monitor? A nice display is nice. I feel way more productive on a 27" 5K imac than a 16" MBP. But I find multiple monitors to be annoying, better to have just one that is good (e.g. a 5K 27" LG or an 8K 32" Dell that I won't be able to afford anytime soon).

After doing the exercise of going from 3 displays -> 11" MBA (no external), I'm maximally productive on any reasonably sized laptop monitor.

16" is great, but I'm probably 95% on my new 14". It's all about optimizing your workflow, utilizing workspaces, tiling, etc.

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#139

Post by FpUser » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:34 PM UTC

I used to have multiple 4K monitors hooked up. No more. Ended up with single large 4K monitor in landscape mode. Portrait mode makes for way too much head moving. Unless on the move never use laptop screen. My laptops are closed and hooked up to the same large 4K monitors.

Re: Ideal Monitor Rotation for Programmers

#140

Post by brandall10 » Thu, Dec 02, 2021, 6:35 PM UTC

throw10920 wrote: post #108

can16358p wrote: post #67

Am I the only one (fullstack programmer + designer + hobby photographer) here who's perfectly okay with a single laptop monitor? Maybe it's to do with I love being mobile, maybe it's that I use UI and text very small, but I can perfectly fit either 3 Vscode tabs, or website + PIP video, a few terminals, many views in Sketch or a combination of those in a screen (16" MBP). I'm also okay with working with Photoshop or…

"Needed" isn't the right word to use here, because you don't really need very much in software development. Use a non-visual text editor without highlighting, like ed. Compile your React by hand. Skip TypeScript, you don't need the computer to check your work. /s Programmers use tools and automation because it makes them more efficient, not because they're needed , and I believe that having multiple monitors (and lar…

My 45 year old back is just fine after using only laptop displays for 9 years now. That said, I am pretty physically active and have led a healthy lifestyle since forever. Maybe the latter part is key.