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Windows as a tablet OS

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Dormouse:
Over the years I've switched between phone/PC and then. phone/PC/laptop. Tablets were added to the mix; I never used my iPads much, but did use my Samsung Note tablet a lot until it started playing up after a few years ,at the same time as I was transitioning to mostly using Windows tablet/laptops instead of desktops (one Surface book; one Toshiba convertible). To an extent that has worked: it is useful to use Windows programs on a tablet. But only when needs must. It doesn't work easily or elegantly, so I mostly use them as a workstation. Partly i think the OS doesn't lend itself well to tablet use, though it tries and neither are the apps optimised for tablet use. The Android versions of the same programs often work much better on tablets, though usually with restricted functionality. So back to increased Android tablet use. It's not a major change in my workflow just change in the hardware I spend most time with.

Partly my switch is about eyesight changes and monitors. I really really like big busy monitors, but the brightness overwhelms me now after a few hours even though I've tweaked all my settings and limited the programs I use to ones that suit me best. Phones and tablets are much easier. I can imagine myself ending up with Android tablets/phones and Linux PCs (with Windows and/or WINE installed). Windows updates are uniquely disruptive and I seem to lose my theme setting every other day.

wraith808:
I use my Surface right along side my desktops, and it works pretty well, but I know what you mean about it being not as fit, even with the adjustments that they make.  I use it mostly for reading PDFs, browsing, and OneNote though, so it works for me.

Dormouse:
Yes. I'd like to emphasise that I like my Surface, and it's a tribute to its capability that I've been using it as a workstation instead of my desktop (which I've just taken down for renewal/rebuilding). It works OK as a tablet, and I could probably make it do better if I used it like that more - which I suppose I might in the future. But, when I came to the realisation that productivity required me to use a tablet much more of the time to cut monitor exposure, my immediate thought wasn't to just use the Surface as a tablet. Partly to avoid the switching between workstation mode and tablet but mostly because I find that the Windows programs work better on desktop than they do on tablet. And with tablets falling out of fashion I'm not sure there will be any further adjustment in that direction.

It's just a not unexpected discovery that a multi-function device is unlikely to be best at any individual function.

wraith808:
It's just a not unexpected discovery that a multi-function device is unlikely to be best at any individual function.
-Dormouse (March 29, 2020, 05:54 PM)
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That's true, though I thought that the Book came closer.  I just have the Surface 4, as I didn't know if I wanted to put down that much money.

ewemoa:
Tablets were added to the mix; I never used my iPads much, but did use my Samsung Note tablet a lot
-Dormouse (March 29, 2020, 09:22 AM)
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This has been my experience too.  Stylus technology and software that utilizes it has improved sufficiently in some places -- am hoping this trend will continue.  The issue of how to carry a stylus without losing it doesn't seem to be well-addressed yet though IMO.

The specific Windows OS Tablet I've tried is a 12 inch Samsung Galaxy Book.

Partly my switch is about eyesight changes and monitors. I really really like big busy monitors, but the brightness overwhelms me now after a few hours

--- End quote ---

I don't typically last that long.  I've coped by using an e-ink reader for certain activities (unfortunately, this technology is really taking a long time to develop nicely), staying far enough away from displays (not easy for a tablet one is holding), reducing exposure, using a single display, keeping my code within about 80 columns, etc.

One thing I found that helped on the hardware end of things was Samsung's OLED displays.  This doesn't really help for external displays (too expensive / unavailable), but for tablets and phones, it seems to be less problematic on my eyes.

I learned about eye issues a fair bit from: https://ledstrain.org/ It appears people suffer for a variety of reasons and there doesn't appear to be a single practical "drop-in" solution, but there are many ideas there to learn from.

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