Purpose of dual monitors?

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 11:35 am

I've always wondered why people do this, what's the reason(s) why one runs dual monitors on the same PC?

I gather that my videocard's capable of running dual monitors but I don't know why I'd want to try? Can anyone here give me examples, explain the benefits?

Invisible Evil · Post by **Invisible Evil** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 11:48 am

Playing a game?? Stuck... then look over at your other monitor and go find a tip online, swivel chair back to game screen, and start chopping some zombie heads.

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 12:42 pm

more relaestate. I now have 2x the desktop space for putting stuff. Mainly on my #2 i have computer stats, winamp, gaim, and when im doing anything that has tool pallets all the pallets go on #2 so #1 is all for whatever it is im working on.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 12:45 pm

I always turn off my 2nd monitor for gaming. Benchmarks have shown that having both on reduces game performance a bit.

What it IS good for is giving you a MUCH bigger destop. Dual monitor is treated as one continous desktop. If you're a power user like me it's just nice to have the extra room. I particularly appreciate it in Photoshop: I keep my image on the left and all the tools and menus on the right monitor.

While working on my invoicing it's nice to have Quickbooks open on one monitor and Word, my Palm Desktop and my Contact manager on the other one.

wvjohn · Post by **wvjohn** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 1:45 pm

i get really confused trying to use duals on the same box, but i do use 2 rigs at the same time for gaming when running two accounts or keeping and info site open on the other one when questing, etc.

tunis5000 · Post by **tunis5000** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:20 pm

how about 5 monitors?

http://elrosewood.com/pics/Desktop/Data/page.htm?2,0

TruckStuff · Post by **TruckStuff** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:54 pm

I do software devlopment for the web. Its great to have my editor open on one window and a web broswer with the app open on the other monitor.... less switching of windows.

DoPeY5007 · Post by **DoPeY5007** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 3:35 pm

Originally posted by tunis5000
how about 5 monitors?

http://elrosewood.com/pics/Desktop/Data/page.htm?2,0

I would love something like that

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:28 pm

its noce... but i like all the same displays and all the displays in one tight cluster. I barely use 2 let alone 5. so i would end up with useless crap running on the other monitors.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:31 pm

5 monitors...LOL!

I can have 3 PCs and my laptop, all networked in one room running different things too BUT I can't honestly say I've ever needed to do that.

I have used one for troubleshooting, researching probs with another one as that comes in handy.

rndmtask · Post by **rndmtask** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 11:04 pm

I think two would be nice for working on school work and financial stuff. Having the word processor or whatever open on one and all the source data on another.

I use linux so using multiple computers and doing a lot of stuff at once is simple. Most distro's by default have 7 virtual consoles and some number of virtual desktops.

zandor · Post by **zandor** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 12:08 am

My main uses:
* Writing Code
It's a must have for software development IMHO. Well, not a must have unless you want to maximize efficiency. I run 3 screens at home- 2x19" on the sides and a 24" Sony GDM-FW900 widescreen CRT in the middle (gotta love eBay). Usually I'll have reference documentation on one side screen, a couple code windows on the middle one, and then the other side screen is either more code, docs, or compiler and/or program output.

* Watching TV
I don't have a TV in my computer room, so I watch TV on one of my monitors while doing other stuff on the other ones.

* Parking status windows, etc.
Right now I've got Mozilla's download manager on a side screen. I also use them to park AIM, Yahoo messenger, etc.

The extra screens are also handy for making a parts list while shopping online for replacement parts for a recently fried PC. Somehow my dual Athlon MP got toasted

, so I'm DL'ing the XP 64 beta so I'll have it ready to play with when the Opterons arrive on Wednesday. Good thing my Linux box & my "iMac" (Athlon in an iMac chassis) are still working. The first thing I did after realizing my main rig was going to be out of service for a while was rip the cover off my iMac so I could plug in a second monitor.