FatalError

Been hustling using laptops since years. Got a 22" display 6 months back & my productivity went shit. Now everytime I use the display my neck hurts.

Thank you wickedfire "show your workplace" threads. You can suck my balls. Back to laptops yo!

/vent

ShadowCaster

Obtain second 22", that ought to fix your productivity.

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clyde

Laptops are actually bad for your neck.

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soulravager

Well I use 3 different set ups for work.

At home I have my PC with a 22" Monitor, while travelling I use a 17" laptop, and in the office I have a PC hooked up to two 24" Monitors.

To be honest I enjoy using the office setup the most, since I don't have to minimize shit, ALT+TAB all the time, since I have enough space on my screens.

I don't really enjoy working on my laptops(I say laptops because I have 2 different ones) I don't like screens smaller than 22"...

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BigWill

Are you looking up or down? Don't see how it would hurt your neck.

Use 2 27's and 2 laptops at my desk and none seem to bother me

b_sun

Get some glasses and back up off of it!

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bcc423

Get used to not using applications maximized to full screen.
Instead, resize browsers and shit to half the screen. That way, you won't have to move your eyes (and head) left to right all the time over wide angle.

It's for the same reason books have margins.

Position application windows like this:



Three 21.5" screens and no neck pain whatsoever.
Before that, I was using laptops for years. I would use a laptop with an external screen attached. But always used the laptop's screen as the main screen and external to watch movies while work.

Transitioning to larger screens was tough at first, but once I stopped trying to use all windows maximized, I realized how cool it is to have more room on the desktop.

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CitizenSmif

+1.

However, if your working inside an app like PS or Eclipse I like detaching tools and placing them at the side/above the app (or have a live preview beside it or something)

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seohug

Use the real estate of large monitors to display more windows, rather than maximizing. Adjust the monitor to how you sit and you can't go back.

I agree that laptop screens being small keeps you focused on one window, but you can still stay focused and save time by having just what you need up on large monitors.

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pickledegg

First World Problems

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Bofu2U

I did the opposite, I maximize everything now and my neck pain has gone to 0 because I'm consistently moving it around (allegedly).

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kamired2

just learn how to properly sit for fucks sake



laptops suck in that regard because you're looking way down.

Observe:

adionline

Fuck. Beat me to it.

Whiny bitches.

cre8tivemedia

I use my TV for my monitor. Once you go 52" it's hard to go back to a laptop

Netphase

I tried using my TV before, but didn't like having 50" stuck at 1920x1080. I prefer a 30" lcd monitor which offers 2560x1600 resolution.

bobby_custard

Get a pair of 22s and rotate them through 90 degrees so they are like two A3 sheets in front of you but bigger. You'll need to pencil in an artificial 'above the fold' line at the side of the display but once you've tried a vertical monitor rather than a horizontal monitor you probably won't want to go back.

Alternatively the MS Windows Start button on your keyboard is your friend. As was pointed out on here recently START+left or right arrow half maximises a program window to that side of the monitor.

Rage9

Do what I do and just blow up the size of everything. Your icons, your text. If you can make it larger do so.

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cre8tivemedia

I never realized that before.... That's awesome!

Netphase

30" at 2560x1600 in normal landscape with a 20" at 1600x1200 in portrait on each side is the best of both worlds.

bauss

27in, no problems

love it

Moldingbox

I almost cried with excitement, awesome shortcut!!!!

+1

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joshman1204

I just run my 26" at 800x600 ... my neck has been fine




My eyes hurt like fuck but my neck is ok

dooogen

+rep

Fatbat

You mean the Windows key. Windows/up to maximize, Windows/down twice to minimize, and you can also drag any window with your mouse to the left or right edge of the screen so it snaps to do the same 50% width thing. You can also drag it to the top to maximize or stretch the top edge of the window to the top of the screen to make it 100% the height of your screen without changing the width.

Windows key/tab to switch windows in 3D view. Alt/tab to see all the windows open and switch between them.

If you learn the hotkey shortcuts to your programs, even just the basics, especially those in the Windows, Adobe Suite & Office, etc. you'll improve your productivity immensely.

Windows 7 users go here and click "Show All".

Keyboard shortcuts

Windows logo key
Open or close the Start menu.

Windows logo key +Pause
Display the System Properties dialog box.

Windows logo key +D
Display the desktop.

Windows logo key +M
Minimize all windows.

Windows logo key +Shift+M
Restore minimized windows to the desktop.

Windows logo key +E
Open Computer.

Windows logo key +F
Search for a file or folder.

Ctrl+Windows logo key +F
Search for computers (if you're on a network).

Windows logo key +L
Lock your computer or switch users.

Windows logo key +R
Open the Run dialog box.

Windows logo key +T
Cycle through programs on the taskbar.

Windows logo key +number
Start the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the program is already running, switch to that program.

Shift+Windows logo key +number
Start a new instance of the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.

Ctrl+Windows logo key +number
Switch to the last active window of the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.

Alt+Windows logo key +number
Open the Jump List for the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.

Windows logo key +Tab
Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.

Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab
Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.

Ctrl+Windows logo key +B
Switch to the program that displayed a message in the notification area.

Windows logo key +Spacebar
Preview the desktop.

Windows logo key +Up Arrow
Maximize the window.

Windows logo key +Left Arrow
Maximize the window to the left side of the screen.

Windows logo key +Right Arrow
Maximize the window to the right side of the screen.

Windows logo key +Down Arrow
Minimize the window.

Windows logo key +Home
Minimize all but the active window.

Windows logo key +Shift+Up Arrow
Stretch the window to the top and bottom of the screen.

Windows logo key +Shift+Left Arrow or Right Arrow
Move a window from one monitor to another.

Windows logo key +P
Choose a presentation display mode.

Windows logo key +G
Cycle through gadgets.

Windows logo key +U
Open Ease of Access Center.

Windows logo key +X
Open Windows Mobility Center.

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michael190

I am also thinking of buying a new monitor...
not sure 24' or 27'
what do you think?

ToddW

This.

Except I don't run my 20s in portrait. I have one stationary angled in toward me, and the other on a swivel arm so I can adjust based on how I`m using that monitor at the time.

I never maximize any application, and overlap them so I can click and swap between them.

I really like Spaces on OSX to optimize this even more, and split apart environments. Shortcut Keys for spaces, and Command-Space for quick app opening, and hot corners assigned to do various things.

I made the switch to OSX almost a year ago, took about 6mos to get used to it but productivity went up for sure. Biggest learning curve for me was how Apple handles file movement, overwriting, etc... glad I have backups

At my office I use 27" apple displays, and they took some getting used too but I LOVE the gloss vs. Dell's Matte. I've been using dells 30 since they released them years ago, and would never consider anything other than a 30" Gloss for my office since at home I need matte due to some 6' windows.

My next upgrade will be selling the 27"s at the office and upgrading to the new ones so I can daisy chain them, and run 2 at once. Right now I have one setup for my win7 system, and the other on my MBP.

Fatbat

I think you need 24 inchers to do this properly and 4:3 monitors are hard as hell to come by these days.

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kered

I went to two 27" this year and can't go back for design/web stuff where I need multiple windows open but when I am writing and need to focus on one thing for a long time I like my laptop with a 13" screen so there are no other distractions.

adionline

Nice shortcuts fatbat. Learned a new one

Netphase

24's in portrait are taller than a 30. Dell 2007FP 20's fit the Dell 30's almost perfect. Here is a couple pics of 30" Dell 3007 or 3011's with 20 inch Dell 2007FP's in portrait on each side...





Neither picture is my own setup.

1yerrot

That's sweet!

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secretagentdad

Herp herp.

You ain ballin if you dont have 2 big ass monitors a custom mouse grip and a Aeron chair.

Pro tip ^^ all of the above provide very real and perceivable returns.

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Bofu2U

Aeron? Shit. Embody, son.

Edit: Elaborate on custom mouse grip. You haz my attention.

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dsiomtw

I've been experimenting for years. From the single 17" CRT I started out with way back when all the way to a custom 12 monitor wall when I traded stocks. For IM, I've found that 3 19" monitors is just perfect. If you sit further away you can do 4 19", but it depends on your desk. I think the big monitors, and extremely high resolutions, are overrated. I run my 3 monitors off a single video card at 1280x1024 and it serves me very well.

joshman1204

They still make 19" screens? I thought 22" were about as small as you could get now.

dtea206

Yea anything smaller than 24" is hard to be productive on IMO.

FatalError

Come on man stop trying hard. Just cuz you randomly picked up that image doesnt mean everybody sits like that.

Now YOU observe:

FatalError

The screen, keyboard & touchpad are so closely integrated in laptops that I dont have to nod my neck up n down when typing. Also, the small screen of laptops makes sure I only move my eyes across the 15" screen.

Another plus point is portability. I dont have to worry about where my stuff (images, LPs, bookmarks, passwords, documents, scripts, php files, excel sheets, ad scrapers, utilities) is located across the different setups I use at my home & my office, or when I'm travelling. I even use the laptop when I'm shitting.

Focus! If you guys suggest going for multiple displays or using multiple windows on the same big screen how to fuck do you even focus with so many distractions? "Ohh look 202 spy view is so cool I'm gonna dedicate a seperate screen for this" "I need a calculator, a clock, sticky notes & a todo list to always display on my screen" Yeah good luck with getting your "main job" done! with one window open, all my focus is on the task that I'm currently working on. Dollar icons in p202 spy view may be cool for kids, but I dont want to distract myself with those.

To each their own. Designers need to use multiple monitors but at the same time ppc-affiliate marketers like me just need a couple browser tabs for traffic sources & affiliate accounts. Making LPs for campaigns dont necessarily require large monitors. I have seperate desktop PC setups both at home & office with 22" displays. These are good for entertainment but for work I'm going back to using laptops. For me big displays just add 'oomph' factors when you want to show off to your friends or relatives.

MSTeacher

+1'd. Mouse satisfaction is elusive.

Just made something experimental along these lines recently, I'll post pics l8r.

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Rage9

Actually if you had a decent chair like an embody it kind of forces you to sit in it properly. Going from my shitty office chair that didn't go high enough or egonomical enough completely changed when I got an embody. Eliminated all my back and knee pain. Well worth the money.

Most people don't understand spending $1000+ on a chair until they sit in it 40+ hours a week.

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Russ86

Like others on here, I can't relate. I am on a 27inch and I think the lowest I would ever go back to would be a 22.

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potentialeight

I'm the most comfortable with about a 22 inch. Anything much bigger and I feel like I have to keep it full all of the time. :/

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kamired2

His forearms are angled and ideally you would want them parallel to the floor, which would lower the screen quite a bit. But I agree that that'd be a better way to sit.

However who wants to work like this:


just to maintain proper neck posture?

Nah, you wanna look that mofo straight in the eyes:

tspesh

1080p TV's have ruined the development of good computer screens. Unless you can afford the higher-res 27" monitor then all you're buying are larger icons.

wayn3

Fix bad posture:

How to Boost Your Flexibility with Shoulders Dislocations | StrongLifts.com

How to Improve Your Posture for Squats | StrongLifts.com

5 minutens in the morning, 5 in the evening. Gets rid of the bad posture in no time.

On top of that, youll likely have some form of atrophied posterior chain muscles. Get in shape doing the 5x5 program:

StrongLifts 5x5: Ultimate Strength & Muscle Building Program | StrongLifts.com

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Your_Pal

I'm suffering from hamstring or if you say more specifically then Sciatica problems. Intense pain travels from my lower back to buttocks and knee and entire left leg. Have spent 1000s of $$ for getting a proper treatment for it from orthopedics to neurologist to acupuncture and none worked for the long term.

I sit a lot on computers and I'm really worried about this pain. As you have posted that this embody chair helped you to get rid of your pain so I did a search if it is available in India and I have found a store selling it. I'm wondering if you were in same boat like me and the chair helped you to get rid of this pain.

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Rage9

Your pain sounds more chronic than mind so it's hard to say. I never went to a doctor or chiropractor for it (I'm way too suborn for that.) My knee pain was a shooting pain that would continue after leaving the chair, at some point it became really really hard to sit in my old chair for extended time.

Most of those leg pains when sitting have to do with how high the chair goes and how the ridge at the end of the chair seat is shaped.

Back pain was standard back pain that anyone would experience if you sat in an uncomfortable chair hunched over.

I also had a lot of wrist pain because the arms on my char where way too low. Embody has adjustable arms on it so you can set it to a proper height to grip a mouse.

You might want to check out the Envelope Desk too:
Envelop Desk - Products - Herman Miller

That + an Embody you be pimping in ergonomics.

So if your asking me if you should get one, the answer is yes. That being said you have to look at your whole set up. Is your desk tall enough? No point to buy an adjustable chair when your desk is too low. So you'll probably want to look in to an adjustable desk.

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RandTheRand

22 Inches isn't big. I have two 23 Inch Screens side by side, and want to get a third. Can't understand how you don't use all that screen space!

Your_Pal

Thanks for the suggestion. Yeah it seems like my desk isn't tall enough. Although right now I use normal plastic chair and when I sit I can see the 22 inch monitors straight to my neck.

I have spoken to embody chair sellers here in India and it is at-least 40% expensive than in US due to custom duties and shit. So it is gonna cost me hefty amount for the whole setup.

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theflash

This