Friday, March 03, 2006
If you want to add add some fun to your desktop computing, think about using two monitors instead of one. Microsoft researchers said recently that using a dual or tri-monitor configuration can increase your productivity by 9% to 50%. Wow.
I will say that I used to add a monitor to my old Macintosh laptop and the monitor was independent of the laptop screen. That is, the two images were like one big desktop, not mirrors of one another. My current desktop is a dual monitor system. It is so easy to work in two programs with one open on each monitor. I can type in Word on one while looking at research materials in my browser on the other. Or I can copy in Excel and drag my selection to Word on the other monitor, to paste it there.
If your PC is recent, it may well have a digital video interface (DVI) and a VGA port for a monitor already. If not, you should be able to get a new card for about $100 that would allow a dual monitor system. You may already have a second monitor (i.e. an old one) laying around because it worked, but was smaller than what you'd like with a new system. The screens don't have to be the same size. If they're different resolutions, you may need to make some work adjustments. My resolutions are different. One is 1280x1024 and the other is 1024x768. On the latter, if my pointer is at the bottom of my screen and I mouse over to the other monitor, I enter it about 20% up from the bottom. It is like putting an 8 inch ruler against a 12 inch, centered. The top and bottoms just don't meet so you can't cross over. But you get used to that and it isn't a problem. If you are buying dual monitors, get the same resolution if possible. And if they match, the system will be that much more attractive from the outside.
So making it fun, and increasing productivity, a win-win situation. Now, all you need is to clear off the desk space for a dual system, and to hope that you don't get an additional job because you'll be capable of doing so much more.
I will say that I used to add a monitor to my old Macintosh laptop and the monitor was independent of the laptop screen. That is, the two images were like one big desktop, not mirrors of one another. My current desktop is a dual monitor system. It is so easy to work in two programs with one open on each monitor. I can type in Word on one while looking at research materials in my browser on the other. Or I can copy in Excel and drag my selection to Word on the other monitor, to paste it there.
If your PC is recent, it may well have a digital video interface (DVI) and a VGA port for a monitor already. If not, you should be able to get a new card for about $100 that would allow a dual monitor system. You may already have a second monitor (i.e. an old one) laying around because it worked, but was smaller than what you'd like with a new system. The screens don't have to be the same size. If they're different resolutions, you may need to make some work adjustments. My resolutions are different. One is 1280x1024 and the other is 1024x768. On the latter, if my pointer is at the bottom of my screen and I mouse over to the other monitor, I enter it about 20% up from the bottom. It is like putting an 8 inch ruler against a 12 inch, centered. The top and bottoms just don't meet so you can't cross over. But you get used to that and it isn't a problem. If you are buying dual monitors, get the same resolution if possible. And if they match, the system will be that much more attractive from the outside.
So making it fun, and increasing productivity, a win-win situation. Now, all you need is to clear off the desk space for a dual system, and to hope that you don't get an additional job because you'll be capable of doing so much more.
