Hey, How Do You Use Your Screen Space?

[Hard-Hat-Mac]

As a designer, I am working on my computer pretty much all day long. After a while, all the little movements it takes to change windows can get annoying so I usually try and set up my screen space in a way that let’s me switch as few windows as possible.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toddhiestand/1133976892/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toddhiestand/1133134307/

The above screen shots are images of my primary and secondary display when I am coding css/xhtml. If you click on the thumbnails it will take you to my Flickr page where you can notes on the page.

So, the main reason I did this was because I am actually more curious about how other designers use their displays. I am guessing some people take a free-for-all approach while others are more anal about how they work. I am personally some where in the middle.

So what about you?

 

[klymr]

Haven't really thought about it much.

I generally have all my windows maximized, and I use the command+tab key alot to cycle through programs that are open. It won't bring all the windows of a particular program forward (say Firefox, just the most recent window is brought up). I also have it set up to where I move the pointer to the lower left corner of the screen and it brings up expose.

 

[chex]

I use workspaces - I usually have a full screen web browser on one space, and other apps spread over the other ones.

When I'm working I usually have an ext monitor set up and have any reference windows open on the MBP while keeping whatever I'm working on maxed on the external.

 

[vicious7]

...I generally have all my windows maximized, and I use the command+tab key alot to cycle through programs that are open...I also have it set up to where I move the pointer to the lower left corner of the screen and it brings up expose.

Same here. Although this will change somewhat when the external monitor arrives. Likely, all graphical work will go to the larger screen and text, etc. will stay on the MBP screen.

I can't wait to streamline my workflow.

 

[miniConvert]

I'm on a 30" ACD so I guess that's quite different to using laptops or smaller monitors.

My screen is plastered with different Windows in a montage. Small windows. Big windows. Only as big as they need to be to show me all of the information I need, and spaced out in such a way that if I need to see several at the same time then I can. I use Exposé a lot to change between stuff.

My old setup was a Windows machine with two 20" monitors. My productivity on the Mac Pro with the single 30" is vastly, vastly improved.

To those who maximise your windows to the whole screen area - I appreciate that in a few cases this may be necessary, particularly on smaller screens, but otherwise DON'T DO IT! It's not the Apple way!