Ask Slashdot: Monitor Setup For Programmers 312
First time accepted submitter oxidus60659 writes "I currently work as a programmer for a small business. They have provided me with a laptop and a 27" BenQ monitor on a Neo-Flex stand. The problem is that my main screen is the tiny laptop right in front of me. The 27" monitor is on the left at a very different height position. I want to put the 27" monitor directly above my laptop so I'm looking up rather than to the left for all my coding on the bigger monitor. The stand does not have a high enough setting to accommodate this. What would be a good stand that can mount to a desk high enough to be above a laptop? What kind of monitor setup do you use when programming?"
Keyboard and mouse (Score:0, Informative)
I attach a keyboard and mouse to my laptop, then use the big screen as my main scene with the smaller laptop screen off to the side for reference. Alternatively you can find a mount with an arm that I see artists use to move your screen in almost any position.
Re:Be thankful if you DON'T need a KVM (Score:4, Informative)
I know your pain. I've been through many problematic KVMs. :(
However, I've recently bought one of these:
http://www.aten.co.uk/products/productItem.php?model_no=CS682 [aten.co.uk]
Works wonderfully, between my docked Dell Laptop (work machine) and my no-brand tower desktop (personal machine). Monitor is a Dell 24" ultrasharp, keyboard is a dell branded one, and mouse is a Logitech MX518.
This KVM just 'works' - I really am impressed with it. Hotkey is scroll-lock twice plus enter, which is an extra keypress compared to other KVMs I've used, but never fails to switch. It even comes with a proper button on a cable should you wish to use that instead of the hot-key combo.
Hope this helps.
-Jar
Decide [Re:Shove the laptop to one side] (Score:5, Informative)
...Also, if I use an external kbd, the screen of the laptop (which is a beautiful 13" FHD screen) ends up further away, and why not use good screen real estate when it's available?
In the original question you say "The problem is that my main screen is the tiny laptop right in front of me... I want to put the 27" monitor directly above my laptop..."
Decide which one it is: A "tiny" laptop screen, which you don't want right in front of you, or a "beautiful 13 FHD" screen that you do want right in front of you.
I have no problem switching from external keyboard to laptop keyboard, but perhaps I'm not as good a typist, and hence my limiting factor isn't the keyboard.
"The stand does not have a high enough setting to accommodate this. What would be a good stand that can mount to a desk high enough to be above a laptop?"
Oh, that one's easy. Use a pile of old textbooks. I recommend geology, because they tend to be a large format.
Re:Shove the laptop to one side (Score:2, Informative)
I think for the retina display Macs, there are 2 Thunderbolt ports and an HDMI port, so you can go to 3 monitors without doing anything fancy with daisy-chaining thunderbolt.
Yes - the 650M graphics chipset supports up to four active displays, so you could use three external monitors and still have the laptop screen available.
Re:Shove the laptop to one side (Score:5, Informative)
First of all, to avoid neck pain, strained eyes and a generally bad posture, keep the top of all your monitors level with your eyes - or lower.
Looking up will make your eyes blink less often (or not at all) and will make them dry. The neck isn't good at looking up either, and
a "vulture neck" isn't a chick magnet...
Use a good separate keyboard and mouse, the best keyboard is the Model M ! Unicomp makes several variants with 104/105 keys and usb. It's awsome!