My standard setup used to be a desktop with two monitors. Once I transitioned to using a laptop, I dropped down to a single monitor. Given that I often use my laptop away from my desk, I like having a workflow that stays consistent whether I'm at my desk with a monitor or away from my desk with just the laptop. Switching from one screen to two screens became too disruptive so I reduced to a single monitor.
Having read through all the other comments in my submission, your comment resonated with me the strongest.
I was also on dual monitor and desktop computer setup, but taking inspiration from your story, I transitioned my workflow to just working on my laptop, and dropped down to a single monitor.
It's been a complete game-changer for me in terms of convenience and portability. I just use multiple virtual desktops now and everything stays full-screened, so that when I plug/unplug from external monitor, nothing changes - identical workflow.
It feels so right!
Not sure if you'll still see this comment, but I just wanted to say thank you ^_^
After a bit of trial and error, I quickly realised that for this workflow to work, full screened applications is the best way. This is because my focus is less interrupted when my laptop's DPI complements my external display's DPI.
And since I don't like having to strain my eye sight too much when working on my laptop, I'm still running my 10 year old ThinkPad X230 with a 1366x768 IPS display, which is pretty comfortable for those long 10+ coding marathons.
For that reason, my chosen external display had to feel similar when working on my desktop keyboard on mouse. So I picked a 4k 32" Dell Ultrasharp, that I run at 1920x1080. I sit really far back. Relaxed coding lounge sort of thing.
I've been using this design for a couple days now, and it has done wonders for my creativity and productivity. I must thank you again.
If you're wondering about the low resolution preference, it's because it allows me to use my keyboard's built-in mouse more effectively ([0] ThinkPad Wireless TrackPoint Keyboard II), and thus I never have to lift my hands off the keys.
This alone has increased my productivity significantly. Keyboard shortcuts are fast becoming my friend. Debian for the win.
Oh I decided to take the lounge coding concept a little further, so I've also plugged in a KMV switch, allowing me to switch displays between the external monitor and the 120" projector with a press of a remote button.
So depending on where I feel like sitting, my wireless keyboard follows me. Currently I'm in the Aeron at my desk, but for about 4 hours earlier I was coding from the sofa.
For your external display, what's your preferred inch-size and resolution?
I used dual monitors back from when it first became an option with 17” CRT monitors 25 years ago but you end up with a primary monitor and then other apps off to the side. The UltraWide is just easier - I can snap code and docs side by side, or two windows of code, or I can have code centered and in focus.
It’s not really a ‘downgrade’ because it’s considerably more expensive than two separate monitors but the ergonomics are so much better.
"Downgraded" to a single 4k screen. Why have multiple monitors with various sizes, bezels, colors etc., when you can have 1 large one and use it as a single large screen for all the tmux panes (effectively 4x 1080p areas), or to watch movies, play games. I can still split the screen output between 2 or more devices if I desire.
Bonus: it can also charge my laptop via USB-C while connected, so one cable less :)
It's really awesome, I only wish it was curved because I sit pretty close to it.
I downgraded from two monitors to one, then to a laptop when I started traveling while working. Now I can work from an iPad if necessary.
At first I had to change because I can't fit a big monitor into a backpack (though I have seen digital nomads in coffee shops using two monitors). Over time I found that I can focus better on one screen and one window. I don't need a bunch of windows on multiple screens to work (programming and system admin). Those just distract without adding much to getting my work done.
Now I tend to interpret multiple large monitors as status symbols or productivity performance art. I probably have a bias because I started programming on 80x24 dumb terminals (ADM-3a, VT100) and some of my core work habits and skills formed around limited hardware. Since I still spend most of my time reading pages of code I normally focus on just a portion of the display. The ability to view hundreds of lines of code or multiple files across two monitors just jerks my focus around.
Looking back, I think the big difference is that I used to be able to leave windows and programs active in my office for days or weeks at a time. I could lock the screen at night and come back the next day to resume a sprawling workspace, with all the persistent layout helping me orient to continue a longer effort. Switching to WFH with continuous ratcheting of the IT/networking policies at work, I now suffer from forced termination of idle or long duration VPN and SSH connections on a regular basis. I can't even take a lunch break and expect to find everything open where I left off...
When a session involves restarting or reattaching too many different windows and working states, it isn't worth the trouble. I've adjusted my working style to be smaller campaigns with bits of local/offline work, quick forays into remote systems to test/debug, and separate bursts of commits, tagging, or deployment of code.
In some ways, I treat my future self more like another remote coworker with more formal process and less implicit state sharing. Onsite in the past, I might have done all editing, deployment, and testing from a working copy on the workstation before making commits. Now, I might edit, commit, and push to a branch from my laptop and then pull and test on a remote server, making small bugfix edits and commits there with a remote editor.
I went from using dual 21" 1920x1600 monitors to using dual 28" 4K monitors with a desktop in the office, to having those 4K monitors for WFH with a laptop. With the IT disruptions described above, I now have the 4K monitors in different rooms where I might want to dock the laptop, but I often just work directly on the 1920x1080 laptop screen from other comfortable locations. With the quick in-and-out of ephemeral VPN and SSH sessions, I don't miss the large pixel areas as much. Just one large 4K monitor affords a lot of space to pull up side-by-side editing windows, documentation, etc.
A large monitor for me is a 28 inch 4K unit, so exactly the same pixel pitch as my 14" 1920x1080 laptop. It is near the edge of me being able to resolve individual high-contrast pixels versus seeing them averaged together.
The distance from eyes to a desktop screen for me is around 30 inches. A laptop might be around 25 inches, depending on where or how I sit. I am relatively tall, so "arms length" for me is further away than for some people and I have a long lap too...
I know this because I am in my late 40s and have recently quantified such things for my optometrist! I recommend getting "computer glasses" with an appropriate near-middle distance prescription, if you are experiencing presbyopia.
For me, portability trumps pixel count at the moment.
I haven’t used a multiple monitor setup for about 10 years now, and that works just fine - adding another monitor adds only the ability to keep an eye on things out of the corner of my immediate focus.
If I had to keep track of dashboards visually, or did 3-d modeling, or video editing or something like that, it’s possible I’d need more real estate visible at once, but since I’m programming, I only really care about the function I’m working on at the moment, which doesn’t need much :)
I had a 27 inch main monitor and a 32 inch dumb TV as a second monitor for Netflix and YouTube, but it was just a ton of space taken up, so I met in the middle with a smallish ultrawide. Takes up a little less space but I can still comfortably do two things at once. And now I don't have to fight weird viewing angles across my desk.
I’ve started doing more work during travel so I’ve had to get used to a 1 monitor workflow as I found the portable solutions too difficult to manage unless your idea of portable is “something small to carry to a desk I’ll be at for 2 weeks”.
At home I still have a 6 monitor (3x2) setup and it’s still the best beyond I can’t take it with me.
I was dual monitors since I had twin 17” CRTs. I went a year with just one monitor due to wiring issues and it was completely livable but I eventually went back to dual. The productivity boost isn’t as high as it once was when monitors were smaller.
So far so good. I'dont miss two monitors on my desk, I prefer a big enough one. Currently I use a LG UltraFine 32UN650, 4k 32". With two monitors I needed to move my head constantly between both monitors, right now is easier.
43inch 4K Samsung TV used as a monitor. But I still use a smallish font. So lots of real estate to use. Stops any need for a lot of scrolling with things like HN.
