News Linux is the only OS to support diagonal PC monitor mode — dev champions the case for 22-degree-rotation computing

[atomicWAR]

" “So this here, I think, is the best monitor orientation for software development,” the developer commented."

You are high.

I want some of what he's smoking. /s

My thoughts, exactly.

For things like flight sims, I can see how you might want some monitors to be off-angle, but the suggestion that it's remotely suitable for development is just someone having a laugh.

Yeah sums up my feelings as well. Funny thing is even before I saw your post....I had a strong feeling you'd say as much. Dude's having a laugh...

Weird problem to solve.

Instead of using these monitors with an impractically wide aspect ratio, why not get a monitor that is equally wide but taller? Of two monitors with physically the same width and equal number of pixels, the one that is taller and has more pixels in the Y direction is obviously much better.
And, additionally, you don't need to tilt your display 22 degrees.

This is why I use a 43" screen with a 27" in portrait. So I have all the room I need when working and a spare screen for discord/game walk throughs when gaming. This 22 degree orientation is either pure humor, the result of a head injury or substance use. I lean toward humor as no 'pro' is going to see this as useful.

 

[PEnns]

Could Upside down for Linux be next??

 

[rluker5]

Could be helpful sometimes if you are using a virtual monitor for programming in vr.

 

[tiredcrow]

No.
I write code every single day and this is stupid. For the cost of the ultra wide, you can get two 144Hz monitors. 144hz is so much better on the eyes, and with two in Windows or MacOS or Linux, you can fill one with your IDE and the other can show you 4 windows at once (browser, API docs, live preview, and whatever else research you're doing.

All the open space and cut off space means you'll be doing a lot more scrolling in each window to get the complete picture.

Also, if you're going ultra wide, why not just make a normal 16:9 shaped IDE window and then whatever else you need can sit next to it?

 

[USAFRet]

No.
I write code every single day and this is stupid. For the cost of the ultra wide, you can get two 144Hz monitors. 144hz is so much better on the eyes, and with two in Windows or MacOS or Linux, you can fill one with your IDE and the other can show you 4 windows at once (browser, API docs, live preview, and whatever else research you're doing.

All the open space and cut off space means you'll be doing a lot more scrolling in each window to get the complete picture.

Also, if you're going ultra wide, why not just make a normal 16:9 shaped IDE window and then whatever else you need can sit next to it?

Exactly.

If the lines in your code are so long that you need that extra 10%, you're doing it wrong.

 

[bit_user]

you can fill one with your IDE

I don't. I have separate editor windows for each file, which I can tile how I like. I never understood why so many people bought into Microsoft/Apple's idea that you want a single program to dominate your monitor.

With widescreen monitors, it makes a lot more sense to have multiple files open side-by-side. Then, I even have room to spare for docs, command windows for doing builds & running tests, etc.

When I first started developing on Linux, there weren't really any IDEs for it. I guess there was Eclipse, but it was too heavy-weight and sluggish. Initially, I thought it was strange not to use an IDE. After a while, I got so used to not using an IDE that I never want to go back.

I'll grant that IDEs are better for debugging, but more than 95% of the time I can do what I need by running gdb from the commandline.

If you like IDEs, I'm happy for you. I just don't want people to think it's the only way to be a productive developer.

 

[sygreenblum]

Some developer really liked the Batman Tv show is all I can think of.

 

[Tolka]

The original source is a blog post from 2021:

Ideal monitor rotation for programmers

How to be a pro programmer

sprocketfox.io

It's just a fun little demo of an existing Linux feature

The author is on Mastodon at https://cloudisland.nz/@xssfox

 

[Heat_Fan89]

Great! Now when I need my ESPN sports fix, I can watch everything diagonally. 🤪

 

[Giroro]

Let's talk about an actually-useful screen orientation feature Linux has that Windows can't do: screen mirroring.
Not the screen mirroring that makes a duplicate of the image appear on 2 displays (which makes it impossible to Google this feature), but it can display an actual flipped mirror image of what would be on the screen.
This lets you put the monitor in a position where the reflection would appear normal. For example: a teleprompter.
99.99% of monitors can't do this either, and customer service people never understand what you're asking about since "mirror" is an overloaded term (nor do their spec sheets even list the feature), so if anybody needs a Windows machine to do this, hopefully you can make do with Elgato's new little teleprompter, because otherwise you're SOL.

 

[dalek1234]

One thing I would like (and maybe it exists?) is the ability of a monitor to sense it's orientation and switch between portrait and landscape

That's exactly the thought I had when I saw the diagonal picture in this article. I was thinking that that might be what this guy is trying to do. Maybe he is? That would be brilliant. Switching to any monitor orientation and having the OS adjust by itself. I'd only use Portrait and Landscape myself, but not having to switch the orientation in the OS, would be nice, to say the least. I switch between P and L often, and having the OS adjust automatically would save time

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

How on earth is a Diagonal view of their monitor useful?

At this rate, just give them a SQUARE Display and call it a day.

At least that would be more useful.

 

[BadOmans]

Noooo way lol. This has to be some advanced sarcasm that someone took literally.

 

[USAFRet]

How on earth is a Diagonal view of their monitor useful?

At this rate, just give them a SQUARE Display and call it a day.

At least that would be more useful.

Almost square:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lgs-dualup-1618-aspect-ratio-monitor-gets-a-price

 

[endocine]

Prefer 22.9 degrees myself, and just tilt my head to get that result, no clunky config file editing necessary

 

[atomicWAR]

Almost square:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lgs-dualup-1618-aspect-ratio-monitor-gets-a-price

OMG that this looks horrendous. Its almost like a a skinny CRT with but without the picture clarity during movement (in games or fast paced movie/TV scenes) and of course being a perfect square compared to CRTs 4:3 aspect ratio. It was a bit of a blast from the past as my earliest flat screen was a 4:3... That said I'd never use it in this day and age but I am guessing some work flows might(?) find it useful.

Prefer 22.9 degrees myself, and just tilt my head to get that result, no clunky config file editing necessary

ROFL...yep sounds about right for day drinking while surfing the web.... jk

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Almost square:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lgs-dualup-1618-aspect-ratio-monitor-gets-a-price

When you're that close to a square, you might as well go full square and make sure you get a 1:1 Aspect Ratio.

The only use I can think of for "Angled Display" is for Flight/Racing Simulators where you have to emulate a window cut-out on your cockpit and have structural frame to hide the gaps in the panel.

 

[mdd1963]

How ...'useful'!

 

[j_123]

The way it is shown in the pic it makes some mild sense, if you only have one monitor and want to have your ide open and still see what and how your code is changing things, this gives you the most screen real estate possible.

Even then it doesn't make sense because if you have a super-wide screen you can split it into 3-4 areas to simulate multiple screens, or if you have a large 4k monitor you can split it into quadrants. I can't see how this diagonal option is remotely better than either of those options.

 

[j_123]

I'll venture that if your code is rambling on, on an often enough basis, so much that you need your monitor at an angle to read it... you're probably doing something wrong.

Also, 22-degrees doesn't actually provide longer lengths than a full-screen landscape orientation would.

 

[willgart]

the Microsoft surface hub can already do this for years now
sorry toms hardware.

 

[SirStephenH]

180° is obviously the optimal screen rotation and it doesn't even require OS support. 🙃

 

[Alvar "Miles" Udell]

People who buy super-ultrawide 32:9 monitors have to have some way to justify them...

 

[megadrive]

Is it April 1st already?

HA! I was thinking the same thing, "is this an old article?" LOL! C'mon!

 

[TerryLaze]

Even then it doesn't make sense because if you have a super-wide screen you can split it into 3-4 areas to simulate multiple screens, or if you have a large 4k monitor you can split it into quadrants. I can't see how this diagonal option is remotely better than either of those options.

Ain't nobody got any money for any of that....
I was arguing for somebody that can't afford a second 1080p monitor and you are coming at me with super wide screen and 4k.