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Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

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Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#171

Post by bartvk »

Scrounger wrote: post #148
vakz wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the contrary, I have a 49" 32:9 monitor, and for a laptop it's wonderful. The support for a single monitor is just way better than any dual (or more) setup. I can just connect it directly to my laptop, and it just works. When I had two displays I needed a docking station, and truth is most of those out there suck. Unless you go for the top models, and then you've lost all the money you saved on cheaper monitors. I…

> I needed a docking station, and truth is most of those out there suck Ain't that the truth. The "top of the line" CalDigit docks are incredibly expensive and buggy. ...and they're on their 3rd or 4th iteration. Plus not much competition, so not much choice either. If I could go back, I would have also gotten a single ultrawide monitor. Plus Macbook Pros multiple monitor support sucks relative to windows AFAIK.

What's buggy about them? They've been pretty good to me.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#172

Post by bartvk »

loloquwowndueo wrote: post #160
Scrounger wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I needed a docking station, and truth is most of those out there suck Ain't that the truth. The "top of the line" CalDigit docks are incredibly expensive and buggy. ...and they're on their 3rd or 4th iteration. Plus not much competition, so not much choice either. If I could go back, I would have also gotten a single ultrawide monitor. Plus Macbook Pros multiple monitor support sucks relative to windows AFAIK.

Dell docking stations have been rock-solid for me (the laptop is also a Dell) and they can be had for quite cheap (about 50% retail) on eBay. I also balked at the price of caldigit units.

Be very careful about Dell docking stations. It's not always clear whether they're based on DisplayLink or real Thunderbolt/USB-C. The problem with DisplayLink is that a) you need a driver and b) after installing the driver, some websites don't show video (Udemy for example). This is on macOS, by the way.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#173

Post by tbyehl »

KronisLV wrote: post #154

Right now, I have four 16:9 monitors at 1080p each. Previously I used some of them in vertical orientation which is great for reading code, but window snapping used to be a bit weird sometimes. It's not too much of a problem on Linux, but on Windows I absolutely needed FancyZones: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/fancyzon... (hold SHIFT and drag window to snap, supports custom zones, like verticall…

I wasn't aware that PowerToys had that, so thanks for pointing it out. In general I've been satisfied with the built-in Snap feature but since getting a 49" 32:9 1440p monitor I've been wishing the 3-column options offered horizontal splits.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#174

Post by loloquwowndueo »

bartvk wrote: post #172
loloquwowndueo wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dell docking stations have been rock-solid for me (the laptop is also a Dell) and they can be had for quite cheap (about 50% retail) on eBay. I also balked at the price of caldigit units.

Be very careful about Dell docking stations. It's not always clear whether they're based on DisplayLink or real Thunderbolt/USB-C. The problem with DisplayLink is that a) you need a driver and b) after installing the driver, some websites don't show video (Udemy for example). This is on macOS, by the way.

Mine worked great with the Dell laptop on Linux ;) no drivers and video shows just fine. (Anecdata, I know)

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#175

Post by ChrisMarshallNY »

LASR wrote: 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.

I use a 5120 X 1440, 49" ultrawide.

It's one of those things that I never knew I couldn't live without, until I had it.

Running my laptop (with a much greater pixel density) is downright painful.

Disclaimer: I'm 61, so all those packed-in pixels are wasted on me.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#176

Post by ethanbond »

xattt wrote: post #144
andix wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't get the point of a lot of monitors. My current setup is a 4K 32" 16:9, which I do 98% of my work on. Everything on one big screen. I have another monitor next to it, which I sometimes use for to put documentation on, a hot reloading web app I'm working on, maybe a video I'm watching while doing some work, or a video conference while I'm screen sharing. But turning my head to the secondary monitor is too much…

I’ve got the LG 2-UP monitor and a plain-Jane 1080p monitor in portrait mode. I use the second monitor for mostly-PDF mostly-letter paper document review. I would love to find an ergonomic reason for my org to purchase an eink monitor for that, but I haven’t come up with any excuses ;) Two monitors let me compartmentalize my workflow. Window management is otherwise too messy for my needs with a single display.

What are your thoughts on the LG DualUp for programming workflows?

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#177

Post by bhouston »

I just purchased a 48" monitor as my primary monitor. No need to worry about rotation, I just have a massive screen in front of me.

I think that for some people people are scared of large monitors in front of them, but once you use one, you realize that using small monitors (e.g. 27 or 32") in single or dual or triple arrangements is just ridiculous complex. One big monitor is way way better.

Large monitors are the future, it is just that people are not yet comfortable buying them for some reason.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#178

Post by sapiogram »

bhouston wrote: post #177

I just purchased a 48" monitor as my primary monitor. No need to worry about rotation, I just have a massive screen in front of me. I think that for some people people are scared of large monitors in front of them, but once you use one, you realize that using small monitors (e.g. 27 or 32") in single or dual or triple arrangements is just ridiculous complex. One big monitor is way way better. Large monitors are the f…

Might be an issue of software support, it just "feels" easier to have two monitors instead of using one monitor as two.

Related: what's your window management setup?

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#179

Post by ethanbond »

sirsinsalot wrote: post #70
LASR wrote: 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.

My 5k2k LG 40WP95C-W is an absolute dream. Worth every penny for dev.

I was within inches of buying this this holiday season but was offput by people’s brightness complaints. Figured I could wait another iteration until either the brightness or the refresh rate gets better… the 5K2K seems like the move though.

Re: Ideal monitor rotation for programmers (2021)

#180

Post by layer8 »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #124
LispSporks22 wrote: post #12

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.

I find up to about 100 characters to be manageable from a readability perspective, but yes, not much more.
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