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Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

sprocketfox.io

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Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#161
post #142
post #44

Tangentially related thought: Take my advice, don't go ultra-wide. Go with a large 4k. You get more pixels for cheaper. The only ultrawide that makes any sense is the 5k x 2k resolution one. These have more pixels than a single 4K. But they are expensive. Even then, a 16:9 5K monitor has more pixels. I personally use 3 x 27 inch 4K - which is cheaper than a single 5k Ultra-wide and gives you a TON more pixels.

100% disagree. I went with 2 4K monitors years ago. When I switched to an ultra wide lat year it was a night a day difference. I wish I never bought 2 4k monitors (or dual monitors at all). Ultra wide is perfect and has a more functionality than a massive piece of each monitor's border in the dead center of your vision.

I, too, am in the ultrawide camp now. I initially bought a 4k monitor. The default rendering was too small for my eyes. My Linux didn't support fractional scaling; 200% scaling kind of defeated the purpose of having a 4k monitor in the first place--net real estate I got felt the same.

I then returned it and went for a flat 34" monitor (HP X34), and I'm happy for it.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#162
post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is surprising how much more affordable 4k displays are. I was stuck finding a suitable display for my macbook being used to the 5k iMac, and ended up with the 32 inch samsung m8, which is one third what apple charges for the 5k studio display. I find myself liking it more in practice than the 5k imac, because while it is a bit less crisp, the colors once properly set up are equally nice and the size is luxurious.

Well M8 is a VA. Good for movies, not as good for everything else.

It depends. If text contrast is a priority, VA provides better blacks. Personally I also can’t stand IPS glow and rather live with the VA off-axis gamma shift. OTOH, my favorite VA monitor is now 15 years old and there is no current replacement with the same picture quality. I’m hoping for more OLED monitors coming out.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#163
post #7

Maybe it would be smarter to use one of the these? Samsung 43" M70A 4K UHD Smart Monitor https://www.samsung.com/us/computing/monitors/smart-monitors...

That's what I do. Not with that specific product, but with a sub-$300 television from Amazon.

I've done the separate monitors thing, I've done the "portrait monitors for text" thing. Really the best solution is just a big flat plane that subtends ~60 degrees horizontally and just about (9/16)*60 vertically, which is enough to put the top just above eye level and the bottom just above the table. Plenty of space to put your windows where you need 'em without all the fussing about optimizing layout.

And it's dirt cheap.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#164
post #7

Maybe it would be smarter to use one of the these? Samsung 43" M70A 4K UHD Smart Monitor https://www.samsung.com/us/computing/monitors/smart-monitors...

+1 to that. Also get 120Hz if you can (but has it's own headaches to solve, including e.g. HDMI 2.1 isn't supported in open source drivers). I recently started using a LG 42" C2. Coming from two 27" monitors at 2560x1440, the 42" 3840x2160 is about the same pixel density and only 12.5% more pixels total (3840*2160/(2*2560*1440)) The 42" screen is like portrait mode on demand. Whenever I tried portrait mode on the 27"…

> get 120Hz if you can

For reading static text? Why on earth would you care?

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#165
post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that? And what type is better and why?

IPS panels have the best color accuracy and viewing angles. VA can produce the best blacks but pixels are slow to change. TN are the cheapest and historically have the best refresh rates.

Among LCDs currently. Micro LED and OLED produce better blacks.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#166
post #16

The actual "ideal" rotation for maximum line length would be closer to 23° rather than 22°, right? Because Atan(9/21) = 23.20°. Also... could we go further? If we're treating the screen's content as an arbitrary plane, what about tilting the content of screen away from you like SNES Mode 7 or the Star Wars text crawl? Infinite screen height!

Since the monitor is curved, it might even be closer to 24°.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#167
post #16

The actual "ideal" rotation for maximum line length would be closer to 23° rather than 22°, right? Because Atan(9/21) = 23.20°. Also... could we go further? If we're treating the screen's content as an arbitrary plane, what about tilting the content of screen away from you like SNES Mode 7 or the Star Wars text crawl? Infinite screen height!

Does character height affect that calculation? The longest line possible wont be able to render at the ends, so is it possible there is a shorter line on a different angle that can render more text?

[deleted]

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#168
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it difficult to actually figure the proper position where the 27” Dell 4K (still very top notch) is just as far so that I can see it and not have to move my head left and right. Anything beyond this size may be OK for games, but too much space and too much windows is actually too much of cognitive load. It is not a surprise that many ppl (not me though) start to prefer full screen terminal rather than dozen wi…

I always thought that moving my head to look at another monitor isn’t really faster than pressing a key to make my fullscreen terminal appear, especially if we start taking cursor hunting into account

Another thing that would be nice if it was easy to make: a button to place the cursor where you’re looking.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#170

90 degrees is best for me and my Go code. Can fit tons more “if err != nil” blocks that way.

You could do two column layout that way too, because nobody should write more than 80 characters wide.

Why, so your friends using vintage vt100 terminals can read your code without scrolling?
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