Business case for dual monitors

[Leonard C. Porrello]

There is also something to be said about error reduction if you are
documenting GUIs. Being able to see what you are documenting as you
document it, without having to click back and forth, helps to reduce the
number of errors one inadvertently introduces into a text.

In terms of "business case", I think it would be hard to come up with a
number for ROI.

Leonard C. Porrello
 
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+leonard.porrello=soleratec.com at lists.techwr-l.com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+leonard.porrello=soleratec.com at lists.techwr-l.c
om] On Behalf Of Peter Neilson
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 10:57 AM
To: Gail Ludvigson
Cc: techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
Subject: Re: Business case for dual monitors

Gail Ludvigson wrote:
> As the sole writer/editor for my team, I have been asked to make a
business case for why I need 2 monitors.

If you are using Structured Framemaker without two monitors you are 
spending *far* too much time switching between the structured view and 
the page view.

If you are working on anything where you need to see the document and 
the application that you are documenting simultaneously, then either two

monitors or two separate CPUs, each with a monitor or two, can be
helpful.

An alternative is to print everything out on paper, and use the printed 
copy as your second monitor, something you probably already do. It 
involves a lot of time walking back and forth to the not-always-working 
printer, but the exercise is good for you, and some things that you 
won't see on a monitor screen will literally leap off the printed page. 
(When I say literally, I mean figuratively.) Also good for taking the 
printed copy to the reluctant reviewer, and standing there in front of 
his desk, twiddling your obvious thumbs.

An extra monitor saves trees, if you believe that paper comes from 
irreplaceable sequoias.


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