A desk. Sans Monitor

November 16, 2024

This week I had a very minor problem with the monitor at my desk, it has developed, suddenly, a small light bleed, or bright spot, across the right edge. I could almost ignore it. Then last night my dock started failing to process USB input, something it has done in the past. These two minor problems coupled with my love of trying new things made me think, screw it, lets see how streamlined we can make the desk… and this happened…

No monitor, no dock. I am used ot having a 34-inch ultrawide screen, but given that I don’t play games anymore, do I really need a large screen? I often treat my laptop like a desktop, because its in clamshell all the time. But, what if instead, I treat my laptop like a laptop?

I have an Ipad Air on the right, which I am now realising I have typo’d as an M3 iPad Air. It’s not, its an M2, I am refuling to correct the image as I’m just super lazy. I have an mini 6 to the right and both are on charge when in thier ‘home’ locations. I’m not sure if I’ll leave the iPad’s Magic keyboard on the desk or not, as I have a perfectly good keyboard on my laptop. It is a good stand though.

The benefit of this desk setup is that my laptop is being used as a laptop and hopefully training me to use it as much. I think I’m missing out by treating it as a desktop too much and failing to use it on the sofa, in the bath, while skydiving… you know, laptop ways.

Another benefit is that its a laptop on a desk, plugged into a USBC hub, there is very little to go wrong here. The hub has my mic, camera and hard drives attached. It’s simple. I like it.

The down side is that I may develop neck-ache from looking down a lot. I dont think I will because part of the reason I am doing this is to remind myself that it’s a laptop and to move around more! This is my starting location and place to synch files. I can put it in my lap, feet on deskl; I can pick it up and move to a new location, and, there is not one barrier to stop me.

Anyway, I’m not sure how long this will last, is this the new way of things, or a week long adventure. I’ll let you know in a while, I guess.

If this little experiment goes well, and I think it will, maybe I’ll down size my desk! – Also, I’m pretty sure im using way less electric without that massive screen!