Multiple monitors

There are many people who never used more than one monitor and this post I would like to show them why you should try multiple monitors.

I myself when I did read that Windows 98 will support multiple monitors thought something like that: Why anybody would need more than one monitor? Sure, say game developers would need more than one and perhaps some artists but normal people sure never need more than one. You can always switch to different window. That were my thoughts. And I was wrong. Few years later in our company everyone had two monitors (and later we switched to use 3 monitors). It was game changer.

You can see and work with two applications at the same time and when you switch from one to another you lose less context and it is easier to jump back. You can have something like Skype (it was our corporate messenger) on second window and you can just glance to Skype message and ignore it instead of switching, reading and switching back. So, in case of multiple monitors you don’t need to distract from what are you doing. The same for mail application and other similar type applications.

Also, you may start something in one application and while you are waiting to finish you will usually switch to another app and periodically switch back to check for completion. With two monitors you just place that app on different screen and again you will see when something completed with peripheral vision.

If you need to connect to other computers via remote desktop then second monitor is huge time saving specially if you need copy and paste from one remote computer to another. The same applies when you try to check and compare something like settings.

If you are gamer and working with photo or video, you could have one fast gaming monitor, but they are usually do not display colors correctly as for games it is not important, but you can have second monitor that much suitable for photos and video.

Some could say that you need expensive video card. The truth is that pretty much all video cards (even cheapest one) supports as much monitors as they have connectors. Even notebooks support more than one monitor and say when you plug HDMI cable you can choose to duplicate desktop or extend desktop to external monitor or projector. I use that all the time when I project something, and I don’t want people to see my personal stuff, messages that just arrives or my email. I just extend desktop and move to second screen only what I want to share. Similarly, when I arrive at place that have spare monitor I connect it to my notebook and move application I used most to that monitor, so I can fit more information or can see it better than on small screen on notebook.

So, if you never tried it go and try one. You will be pleasantly surprised.