Comments on: No ultraportable yet http://wrecking.org/cbd/2008/06/10/no-ultraportable-yet/ Software studies, technical communication, writing studies, and new media. Life with my girls. Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:24:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: cbd http://wrecking.org/cbd/2008/06/10/no-ultraportable-yet/#comment-22282 cbd Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:27:37 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/?p=430#comment-22282 I think user interfaces are much to blame there. They haven't caught up to large screen sizes or multiple screens; minimize, maximize, and similar controls are very primitive and don't pay attention to window contents very well. For example, I'll bet some of those folks with a 30" wide browser window have an 800 pixel band of content in the center and large margins on the right and left. The best "new" tool I've seen lately is the Expose thingee in Mac OS, particularly the "show all windows" move. And I like to automatically tile or spread out windows, as Windows and some Linux environments do. It would be nice to see a single interface combine these functionalities with some enhancements to fundamental controls. I think user interfaces are much to blame there. They haven’t caught up to large screen sizes or multiple screens; minimize, maximize, and similar controls are very primitive and don’t pay attention to window contents very well. For example, I’ll bet some of those folks with a 30″ wide browser window have an 800 pixel band of content in the center and large margins on the right and left. The best “new” tool I’ve seen lately is the Expose thingee in Mac OS, particularly the “show all windows” move. And I like to automatically tile or spread out windows, as Windows and some Linux environments do. It would be nice to see a single interface combine these functionalities with some enhancements to fundamental controls.

]]> By: erich http://wrecking.org/cbd/2008/06/10/no-ultraportable-yet/#comment-22266 erich Sat, 14 Jun 2008 16:57:00 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/?p=430#comment-22266 The funny thing about screen real estate is that often it's just squandered. In the "scholar's lab" at U-Va's Alderman library we have workstations with big-ass (probably 30") monitors. Nine times out of ten, if I glance at someone else's screen, they've got a web browser open, maximized to fill the whole screen. Then they'll switch to a maximized MS Word window, and so on. I wonder how big a screen would have to be for these users to realize that you can get more done with multiple windows. The funny thing about screen real estate is that often it’s just squandered. In the “scholar’s lab” at U-Va’s Alderman library we have workstations with big-ass (probably 30″) monitors. Nine times out of ten, if I glance at someone else’s screen, they’ve got a web browser open, maximized to fill the whole screen. Then they’ll switch to a maximized MS Word window, and so on. I wonder how big a screen would have to be for these users to realize that you can get more done with multiple windows.

]]> By: cbd http://wrecking.org/cbd/2008/06/10/no-ultraportable-yet/#comment-22221 cbd Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:54:03 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/?p=430#comment-22221 Heh, I logged in at the console a few weeks ago just for fun. I'll admit that I don't do that often. Sure, I know the studies &c. about big monitors, and I agree that an ultraportable by itself isn't a viable desktop replacement (hence my objection to the first quote). But add an external monitor and keyboard, and there's nothing stripped down about it. That's what I plan to do. In fact, I'm thinking about getting a 19" widescreen and giving my 24" to Erin for her Mac so she can have more desktop. Heh, I logged in at the console a few weeks ago just for fun. I’ll admit that I don’t do that often.

Sure, I know the studies &c. about big monitors, and I agree that an ultraportable by itself isn’t a viable desktop replacement (hence my objection to the first quote). But add an external monitor and keyboard, and there’s nothing stripped down about it. That’s what I plan to do. In fact, I’m thinking about getting a 19″ widescreen and giving my 24″ to Erin for her Mac so she can have more desktop.

]]> By: matt davis http://wrecking.org/cbd/2008/06/10/no-ultraportable-yet/#comment-22210 matt davis Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:42:43 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/?p=430#comment-22210 Check the usability/productivity studies that show how much more work people can get done on a big screen. And don't give me that "oh, I can just switch to tty1, 2, etc. and who could need more than that" crap. Big screens make it easier to splay your work out in front of you. Like having a large...what's the word? Oh yeah --- desktop. Check the usability/productivity studies that show how much more work people can get done on a big screen. And don’t give me that “oh, I can just switch to tty1, 2, etc. and who could need more than that” crap.

Big screens make it easier to splay your work out in front of you. Like having a large…what’s the word? Oh yeah — desktop.

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