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two-monitors ergonomics

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AndyM:
Interesting, thanks.

I have a 24" monitor (1920x1200) with virtual desktops that I use with my laptop.  I have an idle 2nd identical monitor that I used with the laptop when I was working in two offices.  I couldn't use both monitors easily at present anyway since the laptop has only one external video connector.

But it's still not looking attractive enough to me to try to hook up that second monitor.  My brother has two 24" monitors, keeps a particular database open on one most of the time for reference, and swears by it.  Times I've needed something like that I just hotkeyed or clicked to a different desktop and back.

If I could easily hook up the second monitor, I'd probably do it just to experiment.  But I'm guessing I wouldn't like moving my head that much  :)

It's interesting that multiple monitors work so well for so many of you.  I'll stay tuned to see if there are angles I'm missing.

nudone:
I just wish i'd done this multi-monitor stuff years ago (probably when mouser first mentioned it) but then i didn't believe they'd improve my workflow that much - how much they do is questionable i suppose. it definitely feels nicer to work without having to Alt+tab and search through lists of windows - i wouldn't be surprised if avoiding Alt+tab releaves a bit of eyestrain too.

it seems odd that to me that there are complaints about moving your neck - i've really not noticed that to be a problem. if anything i'd say i'm more mobile in my seat and that's making things a little more comfortable when sat in front of a desk all day. it's early days though so maybe i'll encounter problems.

i'm so amazed at how much more pleasant it is to work with lots of windows (that are instantly viewable) on their own screens, i've gone and ordered another 24" monitor today (just the cheapest one i could find). i was tempted to order two but i really haven't a big enough table.

(admittedly, if i'm not doing any web or graphic work then i'll only have one monitor turned on.)

joiwind:
This might be of interest here too : Dual Display Mouse Manager

cranioscopical:
I have a pair of side-by-side 27" 1920x1200's here with a physical size of 49" from edge to edge.
I don't find any problems resulting from looking from screen to screen.

What I do find with multiple monitors is that they obviate the need to keep switching between different pairs of eyeglasses.
Before using multiple monitors I worked from a combination of hard copy and a single screen, thus requiring different reading lenses for each. Now, with multiple monitors, the information that would have been hard copy is displayed on screen -- only one set of reading lenses required. I find this to be a major benefit. (Bi- or tri-focals are just too limiting with screens of this size.)

I tend to 'work' always on one of the screens and to use the other for reference (data sources, help documents, perhaps email etc.).

I haven't tried a setup with more screens. Were I to do so, I suspect that 4-wide would be more useful to me than 2-over-2.

nudone:
good points, Chris. i had completely overlooked how useful it is to use a monitor as a reading reference screen.

and joiwind, that looks like a very handy mouse util (i'll try it tomorrow). i was noticing today how annoying it is to grab the scroll bars at the edges of the screens.

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