Sunday, March 30, 2008

What Are The Advantages To Bigger Monitors?

Here are some cool comments to a recent WSJ article (the Wall Street Journal boasts Kara Swisher and Mossberg and great technology coverage):
In our company, we have about 30 employees running OS 9 and using 15″ monitors. I wonder how our productivity would rise if we would actually invest some dollars in equipment, not just grasping at bloated profits?

What percentage of businesses do you think can afford new equipment like 24″ monitors? I know in my industry (newspaper), they are doing everything they can to continue the unrealistic profit margins. Even at the expense of happy employees.
Comment by Bryan - March 10, 2008 at 11:09 am

Well, I’ve just bought two HD NEC monitors for a client’s editing system (I DON’T work for NEC) and before I delivered the system, I used it for less creative work with spreadhseets and email and some page-layout. It was another world. I had 3800 pixels to play with (horizontally). I spent less time have to work out which window to open and organise my mental processes to jump between things because most of what I needed was in front of my eyes at all times.

But I wouldn’t just say size is the thing - quality too. When you’re staring at something all day, the sharper, cleaner and more vibrant it is, the less your head is going to start pounding and the more your eyes will be functioning without strain.

Oh, and you might have a more relaxed evening too.
Comment by Ben Wharton - March 10, 2008 at 12:54 pm

This should really seem to be a no-brainer. We coders have known forever that dual-head is more than a marginal increase in productivity. Imagine … code spec and CM tool on one screen, IDE on the other. It’s a marvelous arrangement. Has been for years.
Comment by Miranda - March 10, 2008 at 1:30 pm

The size of the monitor can of course be a factor, but isn’t the total number of pixels what counts (provided your eyesight can handle the resolution)? What where the pixel settings in this study? One more thing - having worked with both large hi-res and dual head setups for years, I can say that productivity increases over time. To utilize the setup properly you must get used to it. To me, soon 50, bigger screen with same number of pixels is very nice to save straining my eyes or using specs.
Comment by pixel geek - March 11, 2008 at 6:20 am

I suspect this is purely an example of the Hawthorne Effect (if you don’t know what that is, look it up, it’s a wonderful thing).
Comment by pmarlowe - March 11, 2008 at 6:34 am

This photo is the result of 20 hours worth of wiring and configuration. I used Widows Vista 64B, in a fairly typical self-built box (AMD/ Nvidia MOBO). I tried to put an ATI X1300 PCI video card in it but struggled for hours to get ATI and Nvidia to play nice, vista wasn’t helping much either.
It sure is sweet though:
http://christianleeds.com/newoffice/desk.jpg
Comment by Chris Leeds - March 11, 2008 at 8:34 am

wow, and i bet Sony will soon be releasing a study that says Bigger Plasma TVs improves the vision of those that watch t.v. Why would anyone care about the research on monitors completed by a firm that sells them? It is a sales gimic, used since there has been a slow down in tech dept. purcahases lately..

- Richard
Hedge Fund
Comment by Richard C. Wilson - March 11, 2008 at 9:34 am

Maybe it`s not how big a computerscreen, but how much of the rest of the world you can see…
Comment by Easily Destracted - March 11, 2008 at 10:03 am

Well after all you do have TWO eyes! :=)
Comment by wingnut - March 11, 2008 at 10:25 am

I think it all comes down to screen resolution.

If you have a 24″ with 1440×900 resolution then you are not getting any more desktop space than a 19″ with same res.

I guess this study assumed that people would use their monitors are their max res.

v.
Comment by Vitaly - March 11, 2008 at 11:21 am

yup
Comment by joeblow - March 11, 2008 at 11:51 am

I use an external monitor with my Inspiron 6000 laptop - by “extending” the desktop onto the second monitor, I’m able to use both the laptop’s original monitor and a 20-inch Dell LCD as two distinct parts of a single workspace. Having two monitors, as well as wireless keyboard/mouse combo is convenient.
Comment by Economist - March 11, 2008 at 11:52 am

You mean size does matter? Sorry, I was reading the Spitzer stories before this one.
Comment by Huh - March 11, 2008 at 11:56 am

I keep my desktop resolution at 800×600 — I don’t need to see more things, I need to see them bigger.
Comment by Noumenon - March 11, 2008 at 1:35 pm

24″ monitor resolution is 1920×1200. i like the one i have a lot.
Comment by M - March 11, 2008 at 1:59 pm

for the guy using 800×600:

You can use a higher resoliton and increase the font and icon sizes on windows.
Comment by eric c - March 11, 2008 at 2:47 pm

What’s really annoying is that the IT people all have huge screens or two screens. And they set up all the applications.

In the trenches, we have one little screen and have to always be moving the windows around — because the apps are set up assuming the screen size the IT people use.

They also have printers with “Times New Roman Bold” font installed, so Word’s Font Substitution always shows us that it is replacing that font with itself.

Duh.

Give IT the _least_ capable machines.

A rising technology tide lifts all the boats ONLY if the IT people are tied up to the dock using the shortest ropes.
Comment by argh - March 11, 2008 at 3:01 pm

SO YOU CAN FINISH WORK 2.5 HRS EARLY - UNLESS YOU HIRE FEW PEOPLE OR ACTUALLY DO MORE, THERE IS NO BENEFIT TO THE BUYER.
Comment by JOE - March 11, 2008 at 3:13 pm

Your employer pays you $?? an hour to work. If it takes you 100 hours to do something and the can cut that down to 75 hours by getting you a 2nd monitor they just saved 25x$?? Assume $?? is $20 ($20 an hour = a $40k a year salary). That means for each 100 hour task the BUYER would save $500.

You can look at it another way, assume it was going to take you 10 days and that giving you a 2nd monitor shortened that to 7 days. Well, now they can have you work on something else for those 3 days. In the end it saves them money.

A 23 inch monitor is a whopping $240 a Costco. Most computers and notebooks will already run a second monitor so it’s unlikely they have to buy any more equipment and on top of that, even if they do a video card is like $60. So, for a total max investment of $300 they can get several hundred dollars of month of more work from their employees. It seems like a no brainer.

As for the research being sponsored by NEC, I can only assure you that most people I know, including myself, are VASTLY more productive on two monitors. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out all the reasons why that would be true.
Comment by greggman - March 11, 2008 at 4:21 pm

Are you referring to a 2003 study with this post? Where is the link to the survey you’re talking about?
Comment by TechMaven - March 11, 2008 at 5:07 pm

What is really funny is that this is the 2003 study, but it keeps on coming up all over the web. Every 4-5 months someone mentions it in either a blog or article.

I have been looking for a copy of the original study for a while, but nobody seems to know where it is
Comment by Denzel - March 11, 2008 at 6:50 pm

Totally. I chimed in on this topic and show how it has improved my life, beyond work. http://juliaroy.com/
Comment by Julia Roy - March 11, 2008 at 6:58 pm

I was the network hardware specialist for a fairly large government agency here in Atlanta.

I actually had trouble convincing users that two monitors would make their lives easier. The most common reason for not upgrading to two monitors was they didn’t want to lose the desk space the second monitor would require.

I told my people that they already had a mental model for using two monitors. I pointed out that they already knew how to read something off one piece of paper and then write on another piece of paper. Two monitors work the same way.

I found that if I promised to install a second monitor and then to come back that same afternoon and remove it if they didn’t like it I could get them to at least try a two monitor solution.

I always kept my promise to show up and check on how the work was going with two monitors instead of one butI never once took the second monitor off anyone’s system. Most often, as soon as I stuck my head in the user’s office door they would threatened to kill me if I even touched their new monitor.

otpu
Comment by Otpu - March 11, 2008 at 9:58 pm

Anybody that doesn’t have two monitors by now that sits at a computer all day works for a VERY CHEAP company and should not ever expect a decent raise or bonus if they won’t fork out an extra $300 for a decent monitor setup.
Comment by cybergal - March 11, 2008 at 11:03 pm

Smaller screen size = less productivity?
Comment by John - March 11, 2008 at 11:17 pm

If you’re an engineer at Google, you get a 30″ HP LCD. Or, you can opt for two 24″s. Employees in other departments get one 24″.
Comment by Googler - March 12, 2008 at 3:17 am

Wide vs Normal aspect ratio?
Comment by digchinese.com - March 12, 2008 at 4:44 am

On aspect ratio: “Knowledge workers” are probably better off with widescreen. On a 22″ widescreen at 1680×1050, two full pages of text fit readably side-by-side; for many tasks, additional horizontal space has more marginal benefit than additional vertical space.
Comment by Michael - March 12, 2008 at 8:06 am

Well…as they say…size matters :)
Comment by jackdog - March 12, 2008 at 9:38 am

Nearly everyone has dual monitors where I work, and it’s definitely made a difference, particularly amongst the developers. One monitor for code and debugging, one monitor for firefox or safari.
http://blog.pclark.net
Comment by Pete Clark - March 12, 2008 at 10:09 am

Size isn’t the best measure, Resolution is. A 26″ screen typically has the same resolution as 24″ so the only benefit of a 26″ would be if you have poor eye sight. I run two 24″ monitors, one in landscape and the other in portrait so I get the best of both worlds. It really does make a big difference.
Comment by Mike - March 12, 2008 at 2:14 pm

Been using dual monitors (20″) for several years. The price for digital has been coming down to where two digitals in today’s money costs less than what we once paid for a Princeton CRT with a better dollar.

Work as a controller and I would buy my own if the company didn’t. Spreadsheet up on one, accounting package on the other - only way to work. Two spreadsheets and drag and drop - I’m surprised that productivity gains are as low as they say.

FWIW, the tech speechifier that spoke at our last conference claimed that gains increased through adding three, but you started to lose time when you started knocking them off your desk (four and more). He was serious about the first comment, maybe about the second…
Comment by Just agreeing - March 12, 2008 at 2:41 pm

Are you kidding…I surf WAY more porn with a bigger monitor
Comment by Dave in wilmington - March 13, 2008 at 10:48 am

These results are bunk.

I wonder if the test subjects know about “alt-tab”?

this is an issue of focus switching, and how easily you can do it.
Comment by jason doyle - March 13, 2008 at 11:34 am

I had my 42″ monitor fall on me at work and now my productivity is at zero. :(
Comment by Peter - March 13, 2008 at 12:07 pm

Personally, I find two 4:3 monitors better than one large widescreen monitor. I almost always maximize my windows which makes 2 screens better.

If you work with one large widescreen monitor, you are constantly resizing things which slows you down.

but yeah, I agree with the study… more real estate is better. Some people are initially turned off by 2 monitors because its a bit confusing at first but I suggest pushing through. You will get a lot more work done and you will get promoted!
Comment by Ben - March 13, 2008 at 12:13 pm

to argh and his complaints about IT getting all the goodies. Of course we do; it’s part of our compensation package for doing grunt work in caves. Oh, and the 3 hour day and 4 day work week ain’t bad either…. Supply and demand; ask Bill Gates.
Comment by just another lazy MBA - March 13, 2008 at 12:40 pm

A colleague of mine got himself a 40 inch monitor recently; since then his productivity has increased significantly. If progress continues we think it will be worth investing in one of the new 60 inch monitors.
Comment by Stibb - March 13, 2008 at 1:01 pm

I wish I had a big monitor :-(
Comment by JD - March 13, 2008 at 1:04 pm

In fact i wish i had a computer.
Comment by JD - March 13, 2008 at 1:05 pm

If only we could afford the luxury of large monitors all round where I work! unfortunately our Director of CIT is just too tight for that!
Comment by Stevo - March 13, 2008 at 1:09 pm

I’m a developer. I use 3 monitors and believe there is value in both the number and size of them. I typically have SQL Manager open on left screen, Visual Studio on center 22″, and the site in a browser on the 19″ on the right. I keep the 19″ set to 1280×1024 to simulate the typical users configuration, and check every new page there. It’s a wonderful thing, and I can’t imagine ever doing it without it! I still get slowed down switching occasionally to see my email, or jump to a forum to look something up…so I’m considering a fourth monitor…Peter, if you don’t need that 42″, and if it’s still working, let me know…
Comment by CEM - March 13, 2008 at 1:11 pm

I work for a company that employs 83,000 worldwide, and their policy since I started here last year is, if you have a laptop, you don’t need a monitor. I’ve had nothing less than a 21″ monitor for the past 7 years! Watching people code and administer web sites and databases on their tiny 1024×780 screens is maddening. I brought in an extra flat panel from home. This is ridiculous.
Comment by Fred - March 13, 2008 at 1:57 pm

At work I have a 19″ 4:3 Dell monitor - it’s a pretty nice, bright clear etc. At home I have a 24″ Dell widescreen - it is truly amazing - I can have two word or deltaview documents side by side, and for some tasks that makes life so much better. I’ve used multi-monitor setups a few times, but really much prefer one big screen.
Comment by Mike - March 13, 2008 at 2:59 pm

I run 4 19″ monitors on 1 system and love it. I have mail in one window, web another center for whatever task I am on at that time and the 4th is kind of a catch all.

at home however I prefer just 1 wide screen. Multi monitors just didnt work well there.
Comment by Gary - March 13, 2008 at 3:44 pm

I think I found the original study… http://www.humis.utah.edu/humis/docs/organization_951_1147817063.pdf
Comment by Jon Eric - March 13, 2008 at 4:39 pm

For the people who don’t believe this, or say the study is biased, please read Edward Tufte’s “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information”
Comment by someuideveloper - March 13, 2008 at 6:04 pm

I switched form a 12″ mac laptop to a 24″mac desktop plus spaces. wow. a world of difference. i can not see my graphic files at the same time, as well as having email plus SOHO plus Daylite open at the same window!

i totally believe the study.
Comment by Jake - March 13, 2008 at 8:40 pm

Bigger screen better.
See longer unix command like I can. See more large log file I can. Scroll too much I dont have to.
Comment by somejavaunixdeveloper - March 13, 2008 at 9:08 pm

I am a retired mainframe programmer. I use three 21 inch CRT monitors and would not consider any less. When I help people with their computers, it is hard to only have a single screen.

I can have my HTML editor on one screen and IE with the site on another. Maybe a help file (or something) onthe 3rd monitor.
Comment by Autocoder - March 13, 2008 at 9:39 pm

visit me at
www.pctrainingathome.com
Comment by Autocoder - March 13, 2008 at 9:40 pm

The benefits to multiple monitors increase exponentially with the number of pc’s one uses.

1. people can’t see me at my desk
2. I get to be more productive
3. A.D.D. folks understand `out of sight, out of mind’
4. people can’t see me at my desk
5. one screen monitors the network full time
6. different browsers at the same time
7. people can’t see me at my desk

P.S. argh: we work because you’re generally incapable of it.
Comment by leftystrat - March 13, 2008 at 10:11 pm

What were the results of the study about 7″ screens?
Comment by serapio - March 14, 2008 at 12:08 am

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Comment by flash - March 14, 2008 at 1:40 am

larger screen = more windows = too much objetives in the same time = less interest in what we do = less productivity.
People who use larger screen have to apply GTD !!!
Comment by jipi - March 14, 2008 at 3:45 am

Richard, since you’ve never done any coding on a dual screen setup… you opinion doesn’t match others’s experiences.

i.e.
Moving your eyes is faster then hitting ALT-TAB and waiting for the OS to redraw the scren. You can have your code on the monitor and the app running on the other. And when the app isn’t running, email, or help/man pages.
Comment by Michaelangelo - March 14, 2008 at 12:12 pm

For any sort of computer work a larger screen makes a huge difference.

In my last job search (10 years ago, IT field), screen size was one of several “environmental” factors I used to evaluate a potential employer. If an employer supplied decent monitors and private office space instead of cubes, I considered that as an indication that they treated their employees well. Who wants to work for a company that doesn’t want to supply you the tools to succeed? And, in fact, considering these factors did help me make a good choice, since I’m still here.
Comment by ViennaDad - March 14, 2008 at 12:35 pm

I upgraded to a 30″ in the office about a year ago. My productivity is through the roof. For one, I enjoy sitting at my desk more and am working longer hours. But I’m also able to complete things faster… alt tab is well and good when you need to flip between programs, but what if you need to see several open documents at once?

Larger screen does not equal less interest in what we do. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I love what I do. If a bigger monitor makes YOU less interested in what you do, perhaps your job sucks.
Comment by CreativeType - March 14, 2008 at 2:41 pm

Clearly this depends on your tasks. I do both marketing communications writing and market research reports; when I work from home, I have both a 20″ iMac and a 13″ Vaio to choose from. Doing the market research reports on the Vaio is torture, since it involves lots of cutting and pasting from Excel, writing analysis based on data from the charts and other documents like PDFd annual reports, and writing report and chapter summaries where it’s helpful to be able to scroll through the main body of the report while typing.

But when I’m drafting a brochure, I’m pretty much staring at a blank screen, and maybe a few print-outs of product information for reference. At that point, the bigger screen almost becomes a hindrance because it tempts me to cruise over to eBay or sites like these rather than get my work done!
Comment by e c - March 14, 2008 at 4:18 pm

Just a blog-back, about tuning bandwidth on the wetware bus.

http://politechnosis.kataire.com/2008/03/wetware-bus.html
Comment by Bandwidth Tuning - March 15, 2008 at 2:19 pm

If this is true, then one monitor that was the size of the planet would mean that one person could do everything and be the most productive person on Earth.
Comment by Smart - March 15, 2008 at 3:05 pm

I have moved from 1024×768 pixels to 1680×1050…. way better cos i can have two word docs open at once without changing….

but unless u do that all day, there isn’t much productivity boost
Comment by Anonymous - March 18, 2008 at 12:27 am

I use 4 dell monitors in a 2×2 setup at home, and its great. At work I have 4 that are all side-by-side and it isn’t as good as 2×2, but I can tell that I’m getting more done now than I was with the original setup of two monitors.
Comment by Brian - March 19, 2008 at 12:28 am

The reason why you see a limit at 24 to 26″ monitors is because the standard native resolution is 1920×1200.

With that said, I just moved from 1024×768 to 1920×1200 - 17″ to 24″ and it is amazing how much I can see on a spreadsheet now.
Comment by Jhonka - March 19, 2008 at 2:32 am

If any significant portion of the work involves paying a human to copy information between spreadsheets, the better solution would be to invest in some automation and systems design so that humans don’t have to do such mundane work as a routine.

I work at a technology company and if the software we sell required a customer to manually move information around we would get raked over the coals. But all our internal systems at their heart, involve someone cutting, pasting clicking numbers through 20 different spreadsheets.
Comment by Stuart - March 20, 2008 at 2:05 am

I always connect my laptop to a 20″ screen (1680×1050), which greatly improves my productivity, but I think I could do even better with 1920×1200. A 30″ screen is probably overkill for me at this point, though.
Comment by Henning - March 22, 2008 at 4:36 pm

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