[IxDA Discuss] What's the best Computer for Designers?

Tue Sep 4 08:40:08 PDT 2007

Nasir, this is not an OS issue, but a BIOS issue. Please consult your
Hardware manufacturer. ;)

-- dave

On 9/4/07, Nasir Barday <nasir at userlicious.com> wrote:
> I don't know about OS X, but Windows was never truly updated to be a mobile
> OS. My biggest beef is with switching between display profiles (at desk
> driving two external LCDs, standalone in a meeting, mirroring to a large
> screen, presenting with secondary presenter's display). If I go standalone
> without undocking properly, the windows on my secondary display don't come
> to the primary screen.
>
> On the other hand, I have a few issues with the Macbook's hardware:
> - Where is the dock? Seems like moving from my desk's keyboard/mouse/dual
> lcd setup would be pain
> - Can a Macbook drive two external LCDs simultaneously?
>
> - Nasir
>
>
>
> On 9/4/07, James Melzer <jamesmelzer at gmail.com> wrote:
> > To be fair, the Windows ecosystem isn't dual-monitor nirvana either.
> >
> > MS Office applications routinely throw newly opened toolbars and
> > dialog boxes into the primary monitor's view despite the location of
> > their corresponding application elsewhere. And Windows arbitrarily
> > scatters my desktop icons whenever I add a new one and then undock.
> >
> > I use a PC at work because I have to, and I curse it nearly every day.
> > I use a Mac at home because I enjoy it.
> >
> > ~ James
> >
> > ==  James Melzer  =======
> > http://www.jamesmelzer.com
> > http://del.icio.us/jamesmelzer
> > == Sent on my iPhone ====
> >
> > On Sep 4, 2007, at 10:51 AM, "David Malouf" <dave at ixda.org> wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Todd,
> > >
> > > Unfortunately, its been a long while since I've been on my MacBook,
> > > but I have remember having a lot of expectations about how
> > > dual-monitor should and could work and they didn't happen. I think in
> > > my "Shift" article on Ok-Cancel I outlined some issues.
> > >
> > > The ones I'm scraping my cranium to remember include:
> > > 1. Menus are always in the main monitor and not associated with the
> > > application canvas I'm actually working in.
> > > 2. Often I would have palettes in the 2ndary window, but when values
> > > had to be set their dropdowns (or other reveal widgets) would appear
> > > in the primary window. (This had a positive effect of me relying on
> > > keyboard commands more.)
> > > 3. Moving from dual to single monitor mode often left some application
> > > windows stuck out of the monitor view never to be grabable or viewable
> > > again.
> > >
> > > In the end though I felt that less Mac applications (so this isn't
> > > about the OS but about the eco-system of the OS) didn't consider
> > > dual-monitor support at all in their design.
> > >
> > > I think there was an issue with maximizing of windows in the 2nd
> > > window not working many times.
> > >
> > > Now that being said there are a ton of issues (some similar some
> > > different) with dual monitor support in Windows.
> > >
> > > That said, PPT and Keynote on the Mac take much better advantage of
> > > dual monitors than any equivalent Windows version of those
> > > applications.
> > >
> > > -- dave
> > >
> > >
> > > On 9/4/07, Todd Zaki Warfel <lists at toddwarfel.com> wrote:
> > >> Hey Dave, can you give some more detail on this? I've been using dual
> > >> monitors on a Mac for a number of years wi/o too many problems.
> > >> Admittedly,
> > >> there's that rare occasion where it goes into mirror mode when
> > >> hooking up to
> > >> a foreign display (typically an old projector that doesn't support
> > >> 1024 or
> > >> higher). So, I can't say it's flawless, but it works far better for
> > >> me than
> > >> the Windows users I've seen hook into other monitors and projects
> > >> as it
> > >> automatically detects the 2nd screen and adjusts accordingly.
> > >>
> > >> Mac OS sees the 2nd monitor as an extension of the desktop. How
> > >> does this
> > >> differ from your expectation, desire, or need?
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> On Aug 30, 2007, at 8:27 PM, David Malouf wrote:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> One reason to use Windows is that Windows (believe it or not) is FAR
> > >> superior for multi-monitor support. I LOATHE mac support (or lack
> > >> there of)
> > >> for multiple monitors. The OS just doesn't really consider the 2nd
> > >> monitor
> > >> as anything as the video output screen or the tools palette's area.
> > >> Stationary menu at the top is not a model that works in multiple or
> > >> even
> > >> high resolution monitors ... Just ask Fitz!
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Cheers!
> > >>
> > >> Todd Zaki Warfel
> > >> President, Design Researcher
> > >> Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully.
> > >> ----------------------------------
> > >> Contact Info
> > >> Voice: (215) 825-7423
> > >> Email: todd at messagefirst.com
> > >> AIM: twarfel at mac.com
> > >> Blog: http://toddwarfel.com
> > >> ----------------------------------
> > >> In theory, theory and practice are the same.
> > >> In practice, they are not.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > David Malouf
> > > http://synapticburn.com/
> > > http://ixda.org/
> > > http://motorola.com/
> > >
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-- 
David Malouf
http://synapticburn.com/
http://ixda.org/
http://motorola.com/