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diff --git a/build/monitor/index.html b/build/monitor/index.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d41cfaf --- /dev/null +++ b/build/monitor/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,80 @@ +<!doctype html> +<html lang="en" id="top"> +<head> + <meta charset="utf-8"> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <link rel="icon" href="data:,"> + <title>Why I Stopped Using an External Monitor</title> + <link href="https://bt.ht/atom.xml" type="application/atom+xml" rel="alternate" title="Atom feed for blog posts" /> + <style>*{box-sizing:border-box;}body{font-family:sans-serif;margin:0 auto;max-width:650px;padding:1rem;}img{max-width:100%;}pre{overflow:auto;}table{text-align:left;width:100%;}</style> +</head> + +<nav> + <a href="#menu">Menu ↓</a> +</nav> + +<main> +<h1>Why I Stopped Using an External Monitor</h1> +<p>2023-03-03</p> +<p>For the longest time I've been using a Samsung 27" UHD monitor as my main display. This monitor was connected to my ThinkPad X260 (in clamshell mode) through the official Lenovo dock. It wasn't a bad setup, but I have since changed my ways.</p> +<p>Instead, I now <em>only</em> use the X260's panel as my main display. Let me explain my reasoning...</p> +<h2>The Switch to Suckless</h2> +<p>Over the past year I switched away from a traditional desktop environment to a window manager - <a href="https://dwm.suckless.org/">dwm</a> to be specific. This also involved changing most of my daily software programs to utilize the full suckless "suite". In doing so, the shift away from floating windows and virtualized desktops happened quickly.</p> +<p>I continued to use my UHD monitor with this new environment but slowly started running into minor (yet still inconvenient) roadblocks:</p> +<ul> +<li>Tiled mode was not the most optimized for such a large monitor. I found myself defaulting into "floating" mode which defeats the purpose of a WM.</li> +<li>The screen was almost <em>too</em> large - making content placed on the far edges of the screen difficult to view at a glance.</li> +<li>I stopped using tags, since I ended up piling applications on top of one another in a single view. Again - defeating the point of a WM.</li> +</ul> +<p>All of these issues were close to making me ditch the external monitor altogether, but it was my day-to-day job that struck the final blow...</p> +<h2>Designing for Everyday Users</h2> +<p>As a UX/UI front-end designer by trade, my job requires me to create and tweak interfaces that essentially go <em>unnoticed</em> by the end-users. If you finish a task you sought out to complete without even thinking about <em>how</em> you did it - then I succeeded at my job. The problem is, we designers and developers tend to forget the constraints a majority of our users experience. In this case - screen resolution.</p> +<p><a href="https://www.browserstack.com/guide/ideal-screen-sizes-for-responsive-design">A study performed by BrowserStack via statcounter (2022)</a> shows the worldwide market share based on device type:</p> +<ul> +<li>58.33% mobile</li> +<li>39.65% desktop</li> +<li>2.02% tablet</li> +</ul> +<p>The mobile aspect is certainly important, but we are focusing on the desktop data. Of that total the top two screen resolutions are:</p> +<ul> +<li>1920×1080 (9.94%)</li> +<li>1366×768 (6.22%)</li> +</ul> +<p>That is a fairly significant chunk of desktop users. Although almost 10% have access to screens set at <code>1920x1080</code>, I found the amount of those stuck at <code>1366x768</code> to be quite shocking. Here I was, developing large-set interfaces on an UHD 4K monitor while a large portion of my end-users would never benefit from those "pixel-perfect" designs. </p> +<p>Hell, some of these users were being shown the <em>tablet</em>-based view of the applications since our breakpoints were so ridiculously large. Yikes.</p> +<p>So, I said screw it and retired the external monitor. Now my X260 is propped up and proudly showing off its 1366x768 display. It only took a day or so to adapt to this new setup and I don't think I could go back to another massive display.</p> +<p>Here are some benefits at a glance:</p> +<ul> +<li>I no longer have to worry about "context switching" if I decide to un-dock my laptop and work somewhere mobile. The desktop experience remains intact.</li> +<li>Working inside <code>dwm</code> is a much cleaner experience. I mostly operate single applications within their own confined tag - with some exceptions of course.</li> +<li>I'm able to instantly understand frustrations of everyday users while developing new features or tweaking existing UIs. Being able to advocate for our end-users by using legit use cases is extremely helpful. (Removes the "design by gut-feeling" mistakes)</li> +</ul> +<p><figure> + <img src="/public/images/dither-desktop.png" alt="My current desktop setup with the X260 ThinkPad"> + <figcaption>My ThinkPad X260, along with my MageGee wired mechanical keyboard and Logitech Pebble mouse. Small notebook and pen for note-taking.</figcaption> +</figure></p> +<h2>A Little Extreme</h2> +<p>Yes, I am aware that I could simply keep the UHD monitor and perform my work within a constrained portion of the screen. The problem that remains is "quality". Most 1366x768 panels are not even close to the level of hi-res found on most 4K monitors. By using such a display I would be cheating myself of the standard experience a good portion of my end-users endure. </p> +<p>I want to see the fuzzy text, slightly blurred imagery and muted button shadows. I want to see these things because that's how some <em>users</em> will experience it.</p> +<p>Maybe that's extreme - but it works for me.</p> +<footer role="contentinfo"> + <h2>Menu Navigation</h2> + <ul id="menu"> + <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> + <li><a href="/projects">Projects</a></li> + <li><a href="/uses">Uses</a></li> + <li><a href="/wiki">Wiki</a></li> + <li><a href="/resume">Resume</a></li> + <li><a href="/colophon">Colophon</a></li> + <li><a href="/now">Now</a></li> + <li><a href="/donate">Donate</a></li> + <li><a href="/atom.xml">RSS</a></li> + <li><a href="#top">↑ Top of the page</a></li> + </ul> + <small> + Built with <a href="https://git.sr.ht/~bt/barf">barf</a>. <br> + Maintained with ♥ for the web. <br> + Proud supporter of <a href="https://usefathom.com/ref/DKHJVX">Fathom</a> & <a href="https://nextdns.io/?from=74d3p3h8">NextDNS</a>. <br> + The content for this site is <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">CC-BY-SA</a>.<br> The <a href="https://git.sr.ht/~bt/bt.ht">code for this site</a> is <a href="https://git.sr.ht/~bt/bt.ht/tree/master/item/LICENSE">MIT</a>. + </small> +</footer>
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