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Ask Slashdot: Monitor Setup For Programmers

Posted by samzenpus on from the looking-good dept.

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?"

4 of 312 comments (clear)

  1. Shove the laptop to one side by Eunuchswear · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Use a real keyboard, mouse and monitor - why do you need to look at the laptop?

    --
    Watch this Heartland Institute video
    1. Re:Shove the laptop to one side by xaxa · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Use a real keyboard, mouse and monitor - why do you need to look at the laptop?

      Not doing this is either illegal, or close, in the UK: http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/guidance.htm

      Except for infrequent short-term use, a real keyboard and mouse is necessary, and a docking station or stand that holds the laptop screen up to the correct level (top of screen just below eye level, at least an arm's length away) or a separate monitor.

      (I had the annual "watch this video on using computers" thing on Thursday. We all laughed at the poor production and daft people in it, but I think everyone went back to their desks and adjusted something that wasn't quite right.)

    2. Re:Shove the laptop to one side by hawguy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I try to avoid using external kbd for a laptop, cause I want to get used to the kbd on the laptop for those occasions when I have no choice. 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?

      I have my monitor on a stack of printer paper to get it high enough to clear the laptop screen, so I have only a few cm between the top of the laptop screen to the bottom of the external screen. I can also regulate the top of the laptop screen by tilting it backwards/forwards and align it pretty perfect with the external screen.

      Maybe you should also forgo using a second monitor so you can get used to using the laptop monitor only for those occasions when you have no choice.

      I have a laptop and desktop both at home and at work and regularly switch between them without any problems with the keyboard after a few minutes of typing - one of the laptops is netbook with a smaller than normal keyboard.

      The only keyboard I have trouble getting used to is the rack mounted KVM keyboard in the server room because that one has a non-standard layout for some of the keys.

    3. Re:Shove the laptop to one side by blippo · · 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!