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Poll: Do you think using 2 screens helps your productivity?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Feb 15, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you think using 2 screens helps your productivity?".

This poll was originally submitted by Carla Lopes. View the poll results »



 
Ricki Farn
Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 11:03
English to German
Two? Feb 15, 2017

I'm trying to figure out how to take a third one on board. (Desk isn't wide enough, but there are these "monitor arms" that look promising.)

One for the text I'm translating, one for reference material / research, and the third one for the stream of internet jokes that keep me sane.


 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 19:03
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Three? Feb 15, 2017

Ricki Farn wrote:

I'm trying to figure out how to take a third one on board.



Screen envy


 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 11:03
English to Italian
absolutely Feb 15, 2017

I thought a second screen was useless... then I thought about it, and I tried to figure out the benefits.. well I have to admit I had no idea how useful it is... translation in from of me, internet on my right...
Heaven


 
Jack Doughty
Jack Doughty  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:03
Russian to English
+ ...
In memoriam
absolutely Feb 15, 2017

Though I use them differently from Gianluca. Translation on the left, original on the right, internet in diminished window on left till needed.

 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:03
Member (2006)
German to English
Other Feb 15, 2017

I would not say absolutely, but it is helpful, mostly using the second (2x24") monitor for reference work. I have a separate laptop for the entertainment;-)

 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 03:03
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Feb 15, 2017

I would love to try it out. I typically work with layers and layers of open documents. Finding the one I want can waste time, and I sometimes accidentally close ones that I really need.

 
Mike Sadler (X)
Mike Sadler (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:03
Spanish to English
+ ...
Two is good, three is better Feb 15, 2017

I have three, in portrait so that I can see a full page of A4 at larger than original size. Original on the left, target or CAT tool in the middle, internet and email on the right. It's paid for itself over and over again.

 
Alcime Steiger
Alcime Steiger  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 11:03
Member (2011)
English to French
+ ...
Is it technically possible?? Feb 15, 2017

This idea already came to my mind several times, just as said above : my favorite CAT tool / target text on the left one, and reference / web search pages on the right one!

But I never figured out how such a hardware arrangement is possible!...

May our dear translation fellows who use several screens tell us more about it technically speaking?


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:03
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I don't know Feb 15, 2017

I've never tried more than one screen, though, like Muriel, on occasion I have lots of documents opened and way more times than I care to admit I've accidentally closed the one I really need.

 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 11:03
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Feb 15, 2017

I only use 2 screens on rare occasions, when I need to keep referring to the original format or context, for example when translating PDFs or PowerPoint files. On those rare occasions yes, it helps me a little, but it's nothing world-shattering.

 
William Murphy
William Murphy  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 11:03
Member (2009)
Italian to English
+ ...
Three is the key for me Feb 15, 2017

Mike Sadler wrote:

I have three, in portrait so that I can see a full page of A4 at larger than original size. Original on the left, target or CAT tool in the middle, internet and email on the right. It's paid for itself over and over again.


Exactly how I have been working for the past five years and I cannot imagine doing it differently now.


 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 11:03
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
Ocasionally. Feb 15, 2017

I set up my laptop as a second screen when I think it is worth the effort. The I have dictionaries and Internet there, or big source texts with graphics that would be too extravagant to print, or useless without colour - I 'only' have a b/w laser printer.

I often have the source on paper, though not as often as I used to, on a so-called concept holder to the left. This suits me far better - I do my research before I start translating in earnest, and write notes in the margin in penc
... See more
I set up my laptop as a second screen when I think it is worth the effort. The I have dictionaries and Internet there, or big source texts with graphics that would be too extravagant to print, or useless without colour - I 'only' have a b/w laser printer.

I often have the source on paper, though not as often as I used to, on a so-called concept holder to the left. This suits me far better - I do my research before I start translating in earnest, and write notes in the margin in pencil. You just can't do that on a screen!
Collapse


 
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei  Identity Verified
Ghana
Local time: 10:03
Japanese to English
It does, in theory Feb 15, 2017

It helps when I use them correctly, 10% of the time. The other 90% of the time I open up some form of entertainment on the other screen and use it as a "reward" for working so hard.

 
Jan Truper
Jan Truper  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:03
Member (2016)
English to German
3 Feb 15, 2017

I use 3.

Left: Internet browser, memoQ concordance search window
Center: main translation program (Wordfast, memoQ, subtitle program, etc.)
Right: Reference documents (source files, dialogue lists, memoQ view pane, reference videos, etc.)

Multiple screens means you have to turn your head often, which seems to be beneficial: I have incurred no neck problems since I have my current setup.


 
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Poll: Do you think using 2 screens helps your productivity?






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