Comments on: A Large Monitor is Actually Cheaper Than a Small Monitor http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/ Follow Steph through his real estate and business journeys Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:28:39 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: FollowSteph.com - Where to Get Blog Article Ideas http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-37561 FollowSteph.com - Where to Get Blog Article Ideas Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:10:03 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-37561 [...] A Large Monitor is Actually Cheaper Than a Small Monitor [...] [...] A Large Monitor is Actually Cheaper Than a Small Monitor [...]

]]> By: Steph http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-20356 Steph Mon, 27 Aug 2007 02:20:26 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-20356 Hi, My personal take on the whole thing is to leave up to the employee. Some people are more comfortable and productive with one large monitor, others with multiple smaller monitors. The thing to take away is that businesses shouldn't try to cheap out on such small cost items as monitors. No matter if you get one very large monitor or several medium monitors, or even several large monitors, you will come out ahead. People will be more productive. I personally use a <a href="http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-5647" rel="nofollow">24 inch UltraSharp from Dell</a> which I bought 2 years ago when it was retailing for about three times it's current price. I find that when I move to a smaller monitor I can't get nearly as much done as on this computer. To be honest, I'm starting to think these days that the monitor(s) is more important than the CPU/RAM on most development boxes... I'd trade a less performing box for more screen real estate. Hi,

My personal take on the whole thing is to leave up to the employee. Some people are more comfortable and productive with one large monitor, others with multiple smaller monitors.

The thing to take away is that businesses shouldn’t try to cheap out on such small cost items as monitors. No matter if you get one very large monitor or several medium monitors, or even several large monitors, you will come out ahead. People will be more productive.

I personally use a 24 inch UltraSharp from Dell which I bought 2 years ago when it was retailing for about three times it’s current price. I find that when I move to a smaller monitor I can’t get nearly as much done as on this computer.

To be honest, I’m starting to think these days that the monitor(s) is more important than the CPU/RAM on most development boxes… I’d trade a less performing box for more screen real estate.

]]> By: nonebody http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-20285 nonebody Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:59:17 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-20285 size of monitor sq inches $/sq in $/1000 pixels 19 162.247191 $1.23 $0.15 22 217.5280899 $1.24 $0.15 24 258.8764045 $1.93 $0.22 27 327.6404494 $3.11 $0.44 30 404.494382 $3.30 $0.37 For a dissenting view http://www.useit.com/alertbox/screen-productivity.html What is measured by the Apple and other stories is OPERATION efficiency. How long did it take to do an operation, this isn't necessarily that relevant to how long it takes to get tasks done. Having more monitors is as big/bigger than a single large monitor according to your stories. Given the cost for additional screen real estate, two 22 or maybe two 24" monitors seems like it would be much more cost effective. size of monitor sq inches $/sq in $/1000 pixels
19 162.247191 $1.23 $0.15
22 217.5280899 $1.24 $0.15
24 258.8764045 $1.93 $0.22
27 327.6404494 $3.11 $0.44
30 404.494382 $3.30 $0.37

For a dissenting view
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/screen-productivity.html

What is measured by the Apple and other stories is OPERATION efficiency. How long did it take to do an operation, this isn’t necessarily that relevant to how long it takes to get tasks done. Having more monitors is as big/bigger than a single large monitor according to your stories. Given the cost for additional screen real estate, two 22 or maybe two 24″ monitors seems like it would be much more cost effective.

]]> By: FollowSteph.com » The #1 Programmer Excuse for Legitimately Slacking Off http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-19687 FollowSteph.com » The #1 Programmer Excuse for Legitimately Slacking Off Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:38:16 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-19687 [...] And we haven’t even started talking about the advantages of larger monitors! [...] [...] And we haven’t even started talking about the advantages of larger monitors! [...]

]]> By: Tips on Hacking CSS » Continuous Learning http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4767 Tips on Hacking CSS » Continuous Learning Sun, 28 Jan 2007 01:47:33 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-4767 [...] Use multiple lines with each style: when there are multiple declarations on a single line, it is hard to tell how to modify it, especially when viewing through a SSH terminal. While it might look nice on a 24 inch monitor (I would assume most designers would have the best monitors they can buy, it is still easier to scroll down, then scroll left or right. [...] [...] Use multiple lines with each style: when there are multiple declarations on a single line, it is hard to tell how to modify it, especially when viewing through a SSH terminal. While it might look nice on a 24 inch monitor (I would assume most designers would have the best monitors they can buy, it is still easier to scroll down, then scroll left or right. [...]

]]> By: Margherite http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4284 Margherite Tue, 16 Jan 2007 20:38:58 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-4284 The bottom-line mentality has not always been part of the business culture. There was a time (late '40s to early '60s) that CEOs invested company profits back into their companies, not into their bonuses and golden parachutes. I had top-of-the-line equipment when I worked on a PDP-8, for G's sake. It doesn't happen now because all those bean counters that graduated with MBAs from 2nd-rate schools (these are not Harvard or Wharton quality bean counters) need to justify how they SPEND money. They're rarely interested in MAKING any. My favorite quote these days is: "It's unwise to pay too much, but it's unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money, That is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It cannot be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better." John Ruskin (1819-1900) English Author, Art Critic and Social Reformer The bottom-line mentality has not always been part of the business culture. There was a time (late ’40s to early ’60s) that CEOs invested company profits back into their companies, not into their bonuses and golden parachutes. I had top-of-the-line equipment when I worked on a PDP-8, for G’s sake. It doesn’t happen now because all those bean counters that graduated with MBAs from 2nd-rate schools (these are not Harvard or Wharton quality bean counters) need to justify how they SPEND money. They’re rarely interested in MAKING any.

My favorite quote these days is:
“It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money, That is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do.

The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It cannot be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.”

John Ruskin (1819-1900) English Author, Art Critic and Social Reformer

]]> By: Steph http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4170 Steph Tue, 16 Jan 2007 01:13:24 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-4170 Hi Ed, Apple actually published a report of the their study in pdf format which you can find <a href="http://images.apple.com/displays/pdf/cinemadisplay30report.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Hi Ed,

Apple actually published a report of the their study in pdf format which you can find here.

]]> By: Ed http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-4055 Ed Fri, 12 Jan 2007 19:46:40 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-4055 Does anyone have a link to a document that calculates how much time savings I will get as a programmer or software tester using 2 monitors? Does anyone have a link to a document that calculates how much time savings I will get as a programmer or software tester using 2 monitors?

]]> By: Web Clipping - 1/9/2007 » Continuous Learning http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-3947 Web Clipping - 1/9/2007 » Continuous Learning Tue, 09 Jan 2007 07:30:17 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-3947 [...] A Large Monitor is Actually Cheaper Than a Small Monitor [...] [...] A Large Monitor is Actually Cheaper Than a Small Monitor [...]

]]> By: Steph http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-3739 Steph Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:34:08 +0000 http://www.followsteph.com/2006/12/19/a-large-monitor-is-actually-cheaper-than-a-small-monitor/#comment-3739 After having read all your comments I think one thing is clear. No matter if you have one large monitor or several monitors, you come out ahead! I've noticed many people have very different preferences, and I've come to believe that whichever that particular developer wants, that's what they should get. It's worth the investment. After having read all your comments I think one thing is clear. No matter if you have one large monitor or several monitors, you come out ahead!

I’ve noticed many people have very different preferences, and I’ve come to believe that whichever that particular developer wants, that’s what they should get. It’s worth the investment.

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