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I don’t understand this part of the write up, “ I’ve always chosen smaller (<= 14”) laptop screens since I find too much horizontal space disorienting.” I very

I don’t understand this part of the write up, “ I’ve always chosen smaller (<= 14”) laptop screens since I find too much horizontal space disorienting.” I very much understand getting distracted with too much screen space, but I wonder what he means about getting disoriented? I like the minimalist setup, but for me this setup would be an ergonomic disaster with the monitor that low.

f6v 5y ago
I find 13 inch laptop screen to be the best. I can’t understand all the people plugging 2 huge monitors to their laptop.
- jeromenerf 5y ago
  I believe the limited view and interactivity offered by our small 2D screens at have a profound impact on our industry deliverables. I like a small notebook but I also use a large translucent sheet for plans and sketches or a giant blackboard for collaboration.
- egeozcan 5y ago
  I have a wide screen. On one side, the app I'm working on reloads itself as I'm working on it, middle is the code, right is docs. On a second virtual desktop I have chat, email and todos. Works perfect for me.
- LeSaucy 5y ago
  2 monitors attached to my laptop let’s me keep main teams window, active call window, obsidian/notes, and a full display for whatever I am working on/discussing/sharing all open simultaneously. Constantly alt-tabbing between a call window and notes is a chore.
- RedShift1 5y ago
  Personally I prefer 15.6" 1920x1080 for laptops. A lot of real estate and can keep it at 100% scaling.
adrian_b 5y ago
That part of the write up means that he is still young. The older you get, the more you appreciate larger monitors, which allow you to continue working without needing glasses and without visual fatigue.
- flyinghamster 5y ago
  I don't know why someone downvoted that. It has absolutely been my experience as I've aged. That, I also greatly appreciate having two monitors on my system.
  - LeSaucy 5y ago
    One of my favourite things in macOS is how well it handles scaling on 4k displays. I find windows / Linux unusable for any duration >15 minutes when I don’t have glasses on. Things are either not scaled/tiny, or Fischer price large and layouts break everywhere.
    - efdee 5y ago
      This hasn't really been a problem on Windows for 99% of the applications for years now.
      - Inhibit 5y ago
        Linux either, afaik. Using a 7" 1080p tablet with a necessary 125% scale that seems to work fine.
        deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
    - hhhcxxdd 5y ago
      You can solve this problem really simply by just getting monitors that are actually large enough to use all the pixels and don't use scaling What's the point of 4K if you don't use all the pixels? Full disclosure my eyesight is terrible so maybe the rest of you can tell a difference between a high res screen that's scaled and a low res unscaled screen at the same apparent resolution.. but I can't
LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
Maybe 'set in his ways', because used to laptops of that size and pixel density, not wanting to change that. And clueless about ergonomics, because favouring the same way to look downward at the display which leads to hunchback, if you don't take care.
washadjeffmad 5y ago
I don't get motion, sea, or VR sick, but if you put a 16:9 27" 144Hz TN panel in front of me, I'll start yawning and drooling in a matter of minutes. If I ignore that, I'll get too nauseous to work until I lay down for bit or take a long walk outside. The cause seems to be twofold. At a reasonable viewing distance, the strain caused by having to constantly focus my eyes differently between the corners and the center begins to give me a raging headache. This isn't true for <22" or >34" panels, though, so it's a function of my lens plasticity. The second factor is related to the panel technology. Scrolling on TN panels makes me feel the same as I do when I watch certain Hulu shows and poorly shot 3D films. Those incorporate subtle DOF that causes eye strain and discomfort on subjects in a scene your brain thinks you should be able to focus on (like trying to read the artistically blurred signage on a door in Avatar 3D). Resisting it makes me almost immediately sick to my stomach. With TN panels, knowing that I should be able to focus on the content as it scrolls yet just barely not being able to read it due to blur and poor panel characteristics (eg- backlight) is highly nauseating. I've used HFR displays with IPS/(M)VA panels for almost a decade with no issue. At work I use a 13" MBP, and at home I use a 39" 4K 120Hz VA panel. I'm actually stuck right now deciding between 13" models of MB Air and Chromebooks because I know deep down I really just want something with a 4:3 or 5:4 display, which would either mean an iPad Pro or modded ThinkPad.
- fy20 5y ago
  > This isn't true for <22" or >34" panels, though, so it's a function of my lens plasticity. I understand smaller displays, but why isn't the issue present on bigger displays?
  - washadjeffmad 5y ago
    My guess would be that I place larger displays far enough away that my eyes aren't constantly refocusing. A better answer may be that I also benefit from displays below a certain proportion of my field of view. I try to work in open areas where I can relax my eyes periodically by looking out of windows, and being able to see around the screen is important for that.
slim 5y ago
With a small screen you just move your eyes, with a big screen you need to move your head. I guess it could be disorienting

f6v 5y ago

I find 13 inch laptop screen to be the best. I can’t understand all the people plugging 2 huge monitors to their laptop.

jeromenerf 5y ago
I believe the limited view and interactivity offered by our small 2D screens at have a profound impact on our industry deliverables. I like a small notebook but I also use a large translucent sheet for plans and sketches or a giant blackboard for collaboration.
egeozcan 5y ago
I have a wide screen. On one side, the app I'm working on reloads itself as I'm working on it, middle is the code, right is docs. On a second virtual desktop I have chat, email and todos. Works perfect for me.
LeSaucy 5y ago
2 monitors attached to my laptop let’s me keep main teams window, active call window, obsidian/notes, and a full display for whatever I am working on/discussing/sharing all open simultaneously. Constantly alt-tabbing between a call window and notes is a chore.
RedShift1 5y ago
Personally I prefer 15.6" 1920x1080 for laptops. A lot of real estate and can keep it at 100% scaling.

adrian_b 5y ago

That part of the write up means that he is still young. The older you get, the more you appreciate larger monitors, which allow you to continue working without needing glasses and without visual fatigue.

flyinghamster 5y ago
I don't know why someone downvoted that. It has absolutely been my experience as I've aged. That, I also greatly appreciate having two monitors on my system.
- LeSaucy 5y ago
  One of my favourite things in macOS is how well it handles scaling on 4k displays. I find windows / Linux unusable for any duration >15 minutes when I don’t have glasses on. Things are either not scaled/tiny, or Fischer price large and layouts break everywhere.
  - efdee 5y ago
    This hasn't really been a problem on Windows for 99% of the applications for years now.
    - Inhibit 5y ago
      Linux either, afaik. Using a 7" 1080p tablet with a necessary 125% scale that seems to work fine.
      - deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
  - hhhcxxdd 5y ago
    You can solve this problem really simply by just getting monitors that are actually large enough to use all the pixels and don't use scaling What's the point of 4K if you don't use all the pixels? Full disclosure my eyesight is terrible so maybe the rest of you can tell a difference between a high res screen that's scaled and a low res unscaled screen at the same apparent resolution.. but I can't

LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago

Maybe 'set in his ways', because used to laptops of that size and pixel density, not wanting to change that. And clueless about ergonomics, because favouring the same way to look downward at the display which leads to hunchback, if you don't take care.

washadjeffmad 5y ago

I don't get motion, sea, or VR sick, but if you put a 16:9 27" 144Hz TN panel in front of me, I'll start yawning and drooling in a matter of minutes. If I ignore that, I'll get too nauseous to work until I lay down for bit or take a long walk outside. The cause seems to be twofold. At a reasonable viewing distance, the strain caused by having to constantly focus my eyes differently between the corners and the center begins to give me a raging headache. This isn't true for <22" or >34" panels, though, so it's a function of my lens plasticity. The second factor is related to the panel technology. Scrolling on TN panels makes me feel the same as I do when I watch certain Hulu shows and poorly shot 3D films. Those incorporate subtle DOF that causes eye strain and discomfort on subjects in a scene your brain thinks you should be able to focus on (like trying to read the artistically blurred signage on a door in Avatar 3D). Resisting it makes me almost immediately sick to my stomach. With TN panels, knowing that I should be able to focus on the content as it scrolls yet just barely not being able to read it due to blur and poor panel characteristics (eg- backlight) is highly nauseating. I've used HFR displays with IPS/(M)VA panels for almost a decade with no issue. At work I use a 13" MBP, and at home I use a 39" 4K 120Hz VA panel. I'm actually stuck right now deciding between 13" models of MB Air and Chromebooks because I know deep down I really just want something with a 4:3 or 5:4 display, which would either mean an iPad Pro or modded ThinkPad.

fy20 5y ago
> This isn't true for <22" or >34" panels, though, so it's a function of my lens plasticity. I understand smaller displays, but why isn't the issue present on bigger displays?
- washadjeffmad 5y ago
  My guess would be that I place larger displays far enough away that my eyes aren't constantly refocusing. A better answer may be that I also benefit from displays below a certain proportion of my field of view. I try to work in open areas where I can relax my eyes periodically by looking out of windows, and being able to see around the screen is important for that.

slim 5y ago

With a small screen you just move your eyes, with a big screen you need to move your head. I guess it could be disorienting