Forget dual-monitor computing... | The Coffeehouse

Randolpho
Hacker On Steroids

.... now we have split-monitor computing!

I got the link originally from slashdot:

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/05/06/166231

which links to:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/05/04/splitscreen_tec_02.html?category=technology&guid=20070420091530

The short story: Microsoft researchers in India have developed (no doubt using Terminal Services / RDP / Fast User Switching) a means of displaying two separate user sessions side-by-side on the same monitor. Basically, two people can share the same computer by sitting next to each other and using separate keyboards/mice and staring at the same screen, which shows two separate desktops on the same monitory, split-screen style. If you've ever played pre-internet-connected split-screen Playstation/N64 games (ahh, Mario Kart 64, how many hours did I waste playing you back in college?), you get the idea.

My response can be summed up in two words:

HELL NO!

I will then be forced to ask the following question:

WTF are you guys smoking? Seriously, this is anti-productive.

[Edit: I realize I risk invoking Emet's brand of crazy with this post, but I just couldn't stay silent on it. Please, just ignore any stupid "MS is trying to control your soul" type posts that may come up.]

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

Especially in developing countries, companies may not have money for a PC per user. It may not be ideal, but if you have a very limited budget and it cuts a big chunk out of your hardware costs, I can see a use.

Randolpho
Hacker On Steroids

Bas wrote:
Especially in developing countries, companies may not have money for a PC per user. It may not be ideal, but if you have a very limited budget and it cuts a big chunk out of your hardware costs, I can see a use.

Sharing a monitor for work (the article mentions data entry) is an ergonomic nightmare.

Ignoring the issue of having to sit right next to somebody all day, you still have to sit sufficiently far enough away to be able to work both the mouse and keyboard -- I'd say at least a foot (bettter two) of space between one keyboard and the other. That means viewing the monitor at an angle, which means a turned head and a strained neck.

I can see doing this with dual monitors, though.

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

Ergonomy isn't really an issue nor a priority in a market where you barely have the money for a laserprinter.

Also, you can't just call Dell and order a bunch of desktops or multi-monitor setups in every country in the world.

Sven Groot
My name has 9 letters. Coincidence? I think not...

Randolpho wrote:
split-screen Playstation/N64 games

That's not limited to consoles though. I remember wasting many free periods in high school playing Need For Speed 2 (you know, back when the NFS series was still actually any good Tongue Out

) splitscreen with friends.

The most rediculous split-screen game I've ever played was Spy vs. Spy on the NES. The game was great fun, but since the aim was to set traps for the other the split-screen mode only worked if you could trust the other player not to look at what you were doing. Smiley

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

Spy vs. Spy! I remember playing that on my Atari ST. That version had you playing in turns, so basically one player had to turn away while the other one set up the traps. I wonder why they didn't do that for the NES version?