Let me add that it must be a desktop computer. I don't want a laptop with its wide screen, its trackpad, or its keyboard that I have to adjust to rather than it

Let me add that it must be a desktop computer. I don't want a laptop with its wide screen, its trackpad, or its keyboard that I have to adjust to rather than it adjusting to me. A second monitor will make me 10% more productive but I can live without it if I have to. Give me a laptop and my productivity falls to a crawl. For me the zone happens somewhat randomly. If I tell myself that I'm going on a programming binge after work I'm probably not. I'll find some excuse, pick up a 6 pack and watch a baseball game or something. But if I read about some new library or a new technique, I'll often pop open a text editor and play around with it. Next thing I know I've decided to use it instead of some other library than I previously was working with, and have completely replaced the code in a couple of hours.