Why I Stopped Using Multiple Monitors • Hacker News Board

Re: Why I Stopped Using Multiple Monitors

#131

Post by sliken » Tue, Mar 28, 2017, 6:15 AM UTC

oumua_don17 wrote: post #38

>> to display multiple things simultaneously? If my email or social media feeds are available at a glance, then I’ll check them constantly Just had no desire to read further, I started with the impression that there will be some strong arguments against multi monitor setup. May be for the author's needs a single monitor suffices, he earlier had a multi monitor setup, so he ended up using the excess which made him unp…

Seems pretty simple.

If you use extra screen real estate (on a big monitor of additional monitors) to get more interuptions (email, twitter, whatever) it's a loss.

If you use extra screen real estate to help keep you on task (i.e. source code, documentation, performance numbers, example code, etc) it's a win.

It's not really more complicated than that.

Re: Why I Stopped Using Multiple Monitors

#132

Post by FungalRaincloud » Tue, Mar 28, 2017, 3:33 PM UTC

cptskippy wrote: post #75

stephengillie wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At work, I use a single monitor with Windows 10 to avoid a few bugs and annoyances, such as one monitor not returning when unlocking the desktop, or having to rearrange all my windows onto the multiple screens when docking the laptop, or sometimes just when returning from a break. To compensate for the lack of screen real-estate, I start by being an individual with great eyesight. (Thank you, LASIK from 2005.) I use…

> At work, I use a single monitor with Windows 10 to avoid a few bugs and annoyances, such as one monitor not returning when unlocking the desktop, or having to rearrange all my windows onto the multiple screens when docking the laptop, or sometimes just when returning from a break. I use Windows 7 and Windows 10 laptops that I dock with 2x 1080p monitors at home and the office. Both laptops remember the 4 displays u…

My work laptop will forget my window arrangement maybe once per week, maybe less than that. I mean, it restarts at least once a week and forgets everything, but there's nothing I can really do about that, so I don't fault the system for that.

However, my home laptop forgets window layouts constantly - basically every other time I unlock it. I don't know what's different between the two setups, and I've never bothered to spend any time trying to 'fix' it, but windows is kind of inconsistent on how it behaves. Windows 10 definitely makes multimonitors much better, though.

Re: Why I Stopped Using Multiple Monitors

#133

Post by claytron5000 » Wed, Mar 29, 2017, 5:03 PM UTC

oumua_don17 wrote: post #38

>> to display multiple things simultaneously? If my email or social media feeds are available at a glance, then I’ll check them constantly Just had no desire to read further, I started with the impression that there will be some strong arguments against multi monitor setup. May be for the author's needs a single monitor suffices, he earlier had a multi monitor setup, so he ended up using the excess which made him unp…

Similar issue when working making designs into code. Design window(sometimes with multiple screen sizes), browser, sourcecode, and inspector. I'll use a laptop and larger screen for this, and I often still feel like I'm cramped for room. I still like the idea of focused one-window work, and it's something I strive to do more of, but in reality I'm doing the above 2 out of 5 days at least.

Re: Why I Stopped Using Multiple Monitors

#134

Post by SZJX » Fri, Mar 31, 2017, 1:13 PM UTC

This is actually a really interesting topic. My laptop screen broke down a while ago and I moved so I'm now forced to use only one monitor for now after a long period of using multiple (mostly 3) monitors. It feels like I am actually able to focus better and am less strained by unnatural monitor positions and the constant switching between monitors. I guess your focus is always only on one thing, and whenever you need to switch focus you can just bring that into the foreground instead of switching your eyes to look at somewhere else. This actually doesn't cost that much productivity. In most use cases one monitor is really enough.

Though I guess programming, compared with other cases, does have a legitimate claim to using multiple monitors, especially when you're performing constant documentation lookup or running a live preview of the program, both of which can exist side-to-side with the code itself. I think the positioning of monitors is really key here. If you have to accommodate them such that all of them are in an unnatural position instead of the natural position that one single monitor can occupy, it can actually hurt your productivity. If their positions are mostly ergonomic, it should be much better.

Re: Why I Stopped Using Multiple Monitors

#135

Post by lloeki » Fri, Mar 31, 2017, 2:18 PM UTC

jorvi wrote: post #72

oumua_don17 wrote: post #38

>> to display multiple things simultaneously? If my email or social media feeds are available at a glance, then I’ll check them constantly Just had no desire to read further, I started with the impression that there will be some strong arguments against multi monitor setup. May be for the author's needs a single monitor suffices, he earlier had a multi monitor setup, so he ended up using the excess which made him unp…

If you like Moom, try Magnet, its like a better thought out Moom.

Having moved from Magnet (previously Window Magnet) to Moom some time ago, I fail to see how Magnet is "better thought out" when Moom can do whatever Magnet does as well as having the ability to also draw over a freeform grid and define custom layouts and grid sizes. The only thing Moom can't do is splitting in thirds on bottom edge drag. Both are great anyway.

Re: Why I Stopped Using Multiple Monitors

#136

Post by tony2016 » Fri, Mar 31, 2017, 4:58 PM UTC

I don't agree. I maximize all the apps on my monitors. I like to see the max amount of data in each app. The secondary monitor is used to look at help, docs or something useful.

Using a single monitor means I have to position and resize all kinds of windows on it on a regular basis. Very unproductive for me. Eventually the Windows will be too small for my eyesight. This is a highly personal preference with everyone.

Re: Why I Stopped Using Multiple Monitors

#137

Post by patrickdavey » Fri, Mar 31, 2017, 7:28 PM UTC

lexicality wrote: post #25

Lightbody wrote: post #22

Another reason for just one monitor: your neck will feel a lot better!

Try having one monitor in the centre and the second one off to the side. You'll always be using one monitor as the primary anyway so there's no reason to pretend they're equal.

I did that for a while, but I found I was turning my head reasonably often.. ended up giving me nasty neck strain. I went back to a single monitor and it cleared up nicely.

I am now using an ultrawide, but I think my next monitor will be smaller.