4 ms·

I've been using 6 x 1920x1200 displays for several years - 5 x 24" plus the laptop's own 15" panel [1] in a corner configuration with 3 in portrait orientation

by iam-TJ 8y ago

I've been using 6 x 1920x1200 displays for several years - 5 x 24" plus the laptop's own 15" panel [1] in a corner configuration with 3 in portrait orientation (perfect for reading documents and web pages). _ _ _ | || |[===]| | | || |[===]| | - - [=] - I'm so used to being able to distribute 'tasks' and workflow to specific monitors that I struggle terribly, to the point of giving up in frustration, when having to use a single display for anything other than casual or single application use. I use a combination of head movement and rotating the chair depending on task. The outstanding benefit is to have multiple applications and documents open and readable simultaneously, just as I would with multiple physical reference books. An added benefit is having the same 'book' (document) open at different 'pages' on different monitors - and not need to flick back and forward between 'pages' or tabs. This is using GNU/Linux Xorg server with 4 X sessions. [1] Dell XPS with ExpressCard -> PCIe ViDock extender containing an Nvidia NVS420 driving 4 monitors, the laptop panel, and an HDMI connection, all 1920x1200.

abledon 8y ago
6 monitors? good god man lol, are you a sys admin?
- iam-TJ 8y ago
  Mostly bug-hunting and coding in unfamiliar code bases so I need a lot of resources instantly available in front of me to compare and figure out relationships. However, it does make remote sys-admin safer too in that I can assign remote hosts to specific monitors - avoids the risk of accidentally issuing commands to the wrong target!
nimchimpsky 8y ago
I have one monitor. I don't understand this - you think rotating moving your chair is less effort than clicking alt/command + tab. And you struggle terribly - wtf are you talking about. Struggle to do what exactly, press alt tab ? Yes, I'm a developer I have n putty sessions etc, etc.
thatguy27 8y ago
Any chance of a photo of your setup?
savrajsingh 8y ago
Please write a blog post with photos! Sounds cool.
abacadaba 8y ago
I think this setup might just about do it for me.
GordonS 8y ago
With 6 monitors I think I'd struggle to remember what was on each screen and have my head and eyes constantly scanning around! Kind of reminds me of those people that run Windows with no less than 42 shortcuts on their desktop!
iam-TJ 8y ago
A couple of people asked for more details so here's a photo [1] and the Xorg config [2]. [1] http://iam.tj/projects/misc/workstation-6-monitor.jpg http://iam.tj/projects/misc/workstation-6-monitor.jpg [2] http://iam.tj/projects/misc/xorg.XPS-NVS420-6monitor.conf http://iam.tj/projects/misc/xorg.XPS-NVS420-6monitor.conf
temptemptemp111 8y ago
"The outstanding benefit is to have multiple applications and documents open and readable simultaneously, just as I would with multiple physical reference books." It isn't really "simultaneously, though, right? Unless each eyes can somehow look at different screens and a brain that can handle processing that. There's a good argument for peripheral awareness helping, though. So the real question is: is it quicker to turn your head (with multiple monitors), or not turn your head and use a key bind to switch between screens (on the same monitor)? Furthermore, if someone determines that multiple monitors is best, then one cannot discount the fact that a single larger monitor with a cleverly setup windows manager could not out compete it... At least based on the lack of physical space separating the monitors. I would also like to try a curved monitor, but I doubt it will be as good for text-based applications. So I've had both large single and 3-monitor systems for many years. I still cannot tell which is better.
hhjinks 8y ago
This makes a lot of sense. Going from two monitors to ultrawide, I miss the easy context switch of swapping between monitors. Being able to compartmentalize different tasks to different monitors is practically ingrained in my DNA at this point.

by iam-TJ 8y ago

abledon 8y ago

6 monitors? good god man lol, are you a sys admin?

iam-TJ 8y ago
Mostly bug-hunting and coding in unfamiliar code bases so I need a lot of resources instantly available in front of me to compare and figure out relationships. However, it does make remote sys-admin safer too in that I can assign remote hosts to specific monitors - avoids the risk of accidentally issuing commands to the wrong target!

nimchimpsky 8y ago

I have one monitor. I don't understand this - you think rotating moving your chair is less effort than clicking alt/command + tab. And you struggle terribly - wtf are you talking about. Struggle to do what exactly, press alt tab ? Yes, I'm a developer I have n putty sessions etc, etc.

thatguy27 8y ago

Any chance of a photo of your setup?

savrajsingh 8y ago

Please write a blog post with photos! Sounds cool.

abacadaba 8y ago

I think this setup might just about do it for me.

GordonS 8y ago

With 6 monitors I think I'd struggle to remember what was on each screen and have my head and eyes constantly scanning around! Kind of reminds me of those people that run Windows with no less than 42 shortcuts on their desktop!

iam-TJ 8y ago

A couple of people asked for more details so here's a photo [1] and the Xorg config [2]. [1] http://iam.tj/projects/misc/workstation-6-monitor.jpg http://iam.tj/projects/misc/workstation-6-monitor.jpg [2] http://iam.tj/projects/misc/xorg.XPS-NVS420-6monitor.conf http://iam.tj/projects/misc/xorg.XPS-NVS420-6monitor.conf

temptemptemp111 8y ago

"The outstanding benefit is to have multiple applications and documents open and readable simultaneously, just as I would with multiple physical reference books." It isn't really "simultaneously, though, right? Unless each eyes can somehow look at different screens and a brain that can handle processing that. There's a good argument for peripheral awareness helping, though. So the real question is: is it quicker to turn your head (with multiple monitors), or not turn your head and use a key bind to switch between screens (on the same monitor)? Furthermore, if someone determines that multiple monitors is best, then one cannot discount the fact that a single larger monitor with a cleverly setup windows manager could not out compete it... At least based on the lack of physical space separating the monitors. I would also like to try a curved monitor, but I doubt it will be as good for text-based applications. So I've had both large single and 3-monitor systems for many years. I still cannot tell which is better.

hhjinks 8y ago

This makes a lot of sense. Going from two monitors to ultrawide, I miss the easy context switch of swapping between monitors. Being able to compartmentalize different tasks to different monitors is practically ingrained in my DNA at this point.