Multi-Monitor Computer

[losikid]

So, some thread in here...topic of multi-monitors came up. And some couldn't understand the need. So I thought I'd share a screen shot of what an active/productive 3 monitor setup looks like.

All this stuff is open for the programming homework I've been doing tonight, Below is a screen shot of my 3 24" monitors.

Every single window was used constantly.

6 windows were open on mu far left screen, These were for library references so I could make sure my syntax was correct.

The center screen had 2 code files open, the assignment description, and a file browser....the file browser was needed because I was constantly loading in files to my program and testing my code.

And the far right screen, my primary screen mainly had my main code file open, the debugger tool, and my program/code running on the far right.

https://plus.google.com/photos/1064...ms/6113388853086878817?authkey=CLybucOlyt_NDQ

 

[The Violator]

I just ordered a new computer this morning. Dell xps 8700. I7 4k processor, 12 g ram, 1tb hd, and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 720 1GB DDR3 video card. Not sure the card will support two monitors, but I have a second 24" monitor I am going to try and run. Otherwise I am going to pick up a 27-32" monitor.


I plan to add a SDD, and maybe a better video card down the road. I have a laptop with 2 HD and one is a small sdd, and the boot and load times are great. I am sold on them.


Anyone looking, dell has 25% off the outlet site. The computer I bought was about $1000 , but with the outlet and coupon it was $605 shipped. For the little web browsing I do it should be OK.

 

[EeePee]

Multi monitors have a better purpose.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m38SmCITzQo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[OTHGbronco82]

So, some thread in here...topic of multi-monitors came up. And some couldn't understand the need. So I thought I'd share a screen shot of what an active/productive 3 monitor setup looks like.

All this stuff is open for the programming homework I've been doing tonight, Below is a screen shot of my 3 24" monitors.

Every single window was used constantly.

6 windows were open on mu far left screen, These were for library references so I could make sure my syntax was correct.

The center screen had 2 code files open, the assignment description, and a file browser....the file browser was needed because I was constantly loading in files to my program and testing my code.

And the far right screen, my primary screen mainly had my main code file open, the debugger tool, and my program/code running on the far right.

So what exactly is it that you do? I need to know what not to study because that picture makes my head hurt just looking at it.

 

[The Violator]

Multi monitors have a better purpose.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m38SmCITzQo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I was thinking more than one porn video playing in full screen, but gaming works also.

 

[neillarson]

I run 3 X 24" on my laptop at work, 1st screen is Outlook, Unif (VoIP and chat), IE and misc apps. 2nd screen is Excel and Word. 3rd screen is Power Point. All of those will have multiple instances up. When you hit about 15 spreadsheets is started doing the Microsoft version of gagging. Sitting beside those are my iPad Air and my MacBook Pro. No clue on why i need them all but I use them all.

 

[losikid]

I just ordered a new computer this morning. Dell xps 8700. I7 4k processor, 12 g ram, 1tb hd, and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 720 1GB DDR3 video card. Not sure the card will support two monitors, but I have a second 24" monitor I am going to try and run. Otherwise I am going to pick up a 27-32" monitor.


I plan to add a SDD, and maybe a better video card down the road. I have a laptop with 2 HD and one is a small sdd, and the boot and load times are great. I am sold on them.


Anyone looking, dell has 25% off the outlet site. The computer I bought was about $1000 , but with the outlet and coupon it was $605 shipped. For the little web browsing I do it should be OK.

All aftermarket graphics cards should support at least to monitors.
And Two smaller ones are significantly better than one large one. Unless you get some sort of 4k monitor, you won't have enough resolution to multitask beyond a single smaller monitor. Sure stuff may be bigger, but it will be very blurry because there isn't enough pixels to make it not blurry




You'll definitely want a SSD with the operating system on it, best upgrade for
any computer imo.

Multi monitors have a better purpose.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m38SmCITzQo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Yes, that would be sweet. My computer could probably do that on mid to low-range graphics though. I'd have to bump up to two or 3 graphics cards (I have a single OC'd GTX780). And I'd have to buy a steering wheel.

What I really want is the Ford racing simulator thing that they bring to the big car shows

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yqbdn0xlsys" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

So what exactly is it that you do? I need to know what not to study because that picture makes my head hurt just looking at it.

Electrical Engineering and Computer science

 

[OTHGbronco82]

Electrical Engineering and Computer science

Ah, ok. Now I know what I'm not going to be studying in college. I'll stick to mechanical engineering.

 

[losikid]

Ah, ok. Now I know what I'm not going to be studying in college. I'll stick to mechanical engineering.

If I was to show you pictures of my homework for mechanical classes. Your head would hurt also.

 

[OTHGbronco82]

I'm better with math than computer stuff. Plus it would kill my eye sight even more staring at computer screens all day.

 

[losikid]

I'm better with math than computer stuff. Plus it would kill my eye sight even more staring at computer screens all day.

Then you don't want to be an engineer....

Where I work, the engineers (Mainly mechanical) sit in front of a computer all day running calculations and simulations. And the Mechanical program at the school mines, most of the homework is done/turned in on the computer. And after all the entry level classes, where you do hand calculations, are finished you start to use MatLab for all the grunt work. You just need to find all the parameters and know what equations and analysis techniques to use to solve for something.

I don't think it matters what type of engineering you get into, you'll be in front of a computer 70% of the time, 20% will be meetings, and 10% will be spent actually testing stuff.

You may thinking that as a ME you'll be building mechanical systems after you design them, but unless your at a very small company, that won't happen. The engineers design and simulate the part. The technicians (who are paid significantly less than the engineers) build the part and set it up for testing. Then the engineer does a quick test, collects data, then goes back to their desk and analyse the data to determine if it meets the contract spec. Our EE's (at my work) spend more time running the mechanical systems than the MechE's do. Because it's free for us to test real world and debug stuff. Change afew lines of code, press program, then run the system. Where, to tweak/change the mechanical part itself, requires alot of machine time (which isn't cheap).

And, I also think it's safe to say...most modern engineers needs to be competent at programming of some sort. ElecE's use C extensively. MechE's use MatLab alot (which is matrix based programming, very similar to C), CompSci does everything, C++/Java/etc, PetroE's use MS VBA, Mining E's just need to know excel thoroughly. I can't comment on other fields as I don't have any experience or friends in the other fields of engineering.

 

[Peaker]

My OCD would not allow me to run multi monitors, but 1 large screen is okay.

It is the gaps between the individual screens that would drive me insane.

 

[losikid]

My OCD would not allow me to run multi monitors, but 1 large screen is okay.

It is the gaps between the individual screens that would drive me insane.

I have like 12" gaps, they are spread out around a corner desk. One on the corner and one on each led.

Just treat it like 3 different computers. Only issue with this is you can have only one mouse. BUT, you can have multiple key boards (only one cursor though).

I have two key boards. One in front of my left monitor, and one in front of my right monitor. It does take some effort to get the mouse from the far right to the far left, but I've gotten used it.

 

[version_three]

Wow, I've been developing software professionally for 10 years and coding for most of my life, but that screenshot even makes my eyes hurt.

My home office setup is actually a 15" laptop running email/IM/etc, my main work rig running dual 24's, and a test server w/ a dinky 17" display. 2 keyboards and 2 mice took some getting used to, but it works well now. I thought about running 3 monitors on my work rig, but I found I'm much more efficient on 2 - I just got really good w/ keyboard shortcuts for switching windows and such.

 

[DickyT]

Then you don't want to be an engineer....

Where I work, the engineers (Mainly mechanical) sit in front of a computer all day running calculations and simulations. And the Mechanical program at the school mines, most of the homework is done/turned in on the computer. And after all the entry level classes, where you do hand calculations, are finished you start to use MatLab for all the grunt work. You just need to find all the parameters and know what equations and analysis techniques to use to solve for something.

I don't think it matters what type of engineering you get into, you'll be in front of a computer 70% of the time, 20% will be meetings, and 10% will be spent actually testing stuff.

You may thinking that as a ME you'll be building mechanical systems after you design them, but unless your at a very small company, that won't happen. The engineers design and simulate the part. The technicians (who are paid significantly less than the engineers) build the part and set it up for testing. Then the engineer does a quick test, collects data, then goes back to their desk and analyse the data to determine if it meets the contract spec. Our EE's (at my work) spend more time running the mechanical systems than the MechE's do. Because it's free for us to test real world and debug stuff. Change afew lines of code, press program, then run the system. Where, to tweak/change the mechanical part itself, requires alot of machine time (which isn't cheap).

And, I also think it's safe to say...most modern engineers needs to be competent at programming of some sort. ElecE's use C extensively. MechE's use MatLab alot (which is matrix based programming, very similar to C), CompSci does everything, C++/Java/etc, PetroE's use MS VBA, Mining E's just need to know excel thoroughly. I can't comment on other fields as I don't have any experience or friends in the other fields of engineering.

^ this "thumbsup" The ME's at my job live in front of computers only. Glued to Pro-E, Solidworks, Geo Magic, and Mastercam. The machinists, machine operators, and QA department do all of the hands on stuff.

 

[losikid]

Wow, I've been developing software professionally for 10 years and coding for most of my life, but that screenshot even makes my eyes hurt.

My home office setup is actually a 15" laptop running email/IM/etc, my main work rig running dual 24's, and a test server w/ a dinky 17" display. 2 keyboards and 2 mice took some getting used to, but it works well now. I thought about running 3 monitors on my work rig, but I found I'm much more efficient on 2 - I just got really good w/ keyboard shortcuts for switching windows and such.

Yea, I don't like switching between windows. I just want to look at my reference info then go right back to my main document.

I've been using a dinky little laptop screen and a 24" monitor hooked up to it for the past 3 years. Then I built a new computer over christmas break and bought two monitors for it and plugged in the laptop monitor as well. I love having that 3rd monitor when I occasionally have a shit load of reference windows/documents. (I often use two monitors to have 4-6 lecture notes open while doing homework, and the 3rd monitor for netflix/email/overkillrc)

 

[losikid]

^ this "thumbsup" The ME's at my job live in front of computers only. Glued to Pro-E, Solidworks, Geo Magic, and Mastercam. The machinists, machine operators, and QA department do all of the hands on stuff.

Why would an engineer be in front of MasterCam?

 

[DickyT]

Why would an engineer be in front of MasterCam?

A small group of them here write the tooling paths as well. Why? I don't know, maybe they don't trust the machinists to write the optimal paths?

I'm just the IT slave that keeps their shit running...

 

[losikid]

That's interesting...if I was the machinst I wouldn't trust the engineer to provide optimal tooling paths...

 

[DickyT]

That's interesting...if I was the machinst I wouldn't trust the engineer to provide optimal tooling paths...

The engineering group that does MasterCam are all former machinists. That group of engineers works very closely with the machinists and machine operators.

The Pro-E, SolidWorks, Geo Magic teams never see the shop floor unless walking out there to say hi to a friend. They do work very closely with the QA group though after the parts are made.

I don't try and understand the logic of it. Like I said, I'm just the lowly IT slave that keeps their shit running :mrgreen: