FreakingHugeMontioraphobia

Yesterday that was a Slashdot article referencing a Computerworld article by way of a Yahoo News article that basically says if you have a freaking huge monitor then you are more productive.

And cooler.

And funnier.

And all the chicks will dig you.

(Well, the article didn’t *exactly* say that but I’m sure it’s implied.)

Naturally the study it referred to was sponsored by Apple who just so happens to have a line of Freaking Huge Monitors that they will be more than happy to sell you for a cool two grand. One of the guys I worked with even joking sent an email asking to get one citing the productivity increase it will cause. The reply from the guy with the checkbook was “It’s ordered and will be here tomorrow. I expect to see the stated productivity number increases this week.”

Translation: I call your bluff, I have a full house, whaddya got sucka?

Needless to say, I wouldn’t expect him to have a package from Apple sitting on his desk anytime soon.

I know a lot of people here at work use dual monitors, typically a main LCD and an older CRT that the LCD was replacing. When I got the new Macbook Pro I tried doing a dual screen for a while using the built-in LCD and another monitor but I noticed that nearly all the time the external monitor just had a blank blue desktop on it staring accusingly at me.

Now, if you are planning to use the aforementioned article to try to weasel a new monitor out of the powers-that-be you can really stop now. Seriously, sometimes plausible deniability is a good thing. It’s a big internet out there, there’s lots of great stuff to read. There’s even lots of crappy stuff to read. Now might be your big chance to find some of that stuff.

Still with me? Ok. I warned you.

For me, the built-in LCD would have a zillion windows open but through the magic of Expose and Command-Tab I never really found myself wanting for more space or using that bigger monitor. I can hear the cries of anguish now, the gnashing of teeth, the shaking of fists. And if you’re a manager reading this and want to use it as evidence with which to deny a new monitor order, remember, I’m an idiot.

Seriously though, when I first got the notebook I made the conscious decision to try to adapt my work style to the size of the built-in screen so that wherever I was (desk, conference room, conference) I had the same user experience. Basically, I didn’t want to find myself in the situation where I was moaning about the screen size of the awesome laptop because I had gotten used to a big external screen. I figured that would increase the likelihood of whomever I was moaning to grabbing said notebook and bludgeoning me to death with it.

So, if we really read between the lines and pull things out of context, you could say that I am deathly afraid of big monitors. And I figure whatever productivity I currently have has to be better than what I would have whilst dead. At least I certainly hope…