The Best of Both Worlds: My Hybrid Laptop and Dual-Monitor Workflow

While I prefer the laptop and smartphone combo since I like to be mobile, I've come to realize that when at my home or work office I do prefer a dual monitor setup. Mainly because my workflow at the desk benefits from the dual monitor setup, while if I am on the road my laptop is what I need.

The work I do at my home, or work, offices benefits of dual monitor setups since I need to compare information or check the info on different apps often. Meanwhile on the road, I'm just doing stuff than a single monitor is enough. Besides, my ideal dual monitor setup is my laptop monitor along side a 27" monitor as my primary one while I'm my offices desk.

For my ideal laptop monitor size, it would be the 15.6" one. It gives me the balance between screen size and portability I seek on a laptop. I tried a 13" laptop once, and I found it to be to small for my use, and larger screens on laptops make them to bulky for to carry around on daily basis.

On my desk, a 24" or 27" monitor gives the display real state I prefer on my primary display, while the 15.6" inch of my laptop is the perfect second display for my perfect dual monitor setup. I prefer having a smaller display for referencing, while I work on the larger display. Though, I could happy work with both displays being 15.6".

It has been about 4 years since I starting working with a dual monitor setup at my desks, and I've found that this setup is the best for my workflow. I prefer to have one app per display, so a wide aspect display doesn't seem to be a good option for me, but I still got to try it out. 

Two Offices, One Flow: Setting Up Desks for Hybrid Work

Ever since I moved jobs in May, I've come to realize that my every day carry has become quite minimalist. Other than my laptop, a bag with esencial cables, an umbrella, notepad, pens, daily planner, sun glasses and headphones on my backpack. In my pockets I just carry keys, wallet, smartphone, earphones, keys and my smartwatch. Other than that, I don't anything else on daily basis.

 Any other of the things I need for work, are at my desk at home or work desks. And even on the desks, I try to just keep what I need to do on daily basis on both desk. What's on both desks is a bit different, but on both is a keyboard, mouse, desk mat, pens and pencils on a dedicated holder, and some notebooks at the desktop. On drawers cables, other things, that I need to use from time to time, but not often like a stapler, cables, and chargers.

My desk at work is still lacking somethings, like a lamp and plant. I'd like to add a second monitor but is not mandatory. To be honest, the administrative work area is still a work in progress. But this time, I've more of a say on how that desk is going to be set. We are still working on my schedule, so how many hours I'd be working from my home office, and how many I'd be working at the work office are fluid. Though having a well set up desk for administrative work will benefit everyone, since we are a couple of people that need to use on regular basis.

I've several ideas on how to improve both desks, but we'll see what and how those ideas can be implemented. The most important thing, is to make both desk places that are easy to work in, and help bring out the best work. 

The SteamOS Effect: How Valve Turned Linux Into a Legitimate Gaming Platform

As a Linux Mint user, that enjoys playing video games, that Valve decided to create SteamOS has been a blessing. Mainly because it means the video games are coming to the Linux desktops, when a few years ago being able to play video games on Linux was constrained due to the lack of people using Linux.

That Valve making its own Linux distro with SteamOS, Linux becomes a legitimate platform for video game distributions. Specially because Valve put a lot of work in Proton to bring video games playable on Windows to Linux via Steam. And while some titles on Steam have been developed for Linux, Proton expands the number of titles playable on Linux by orders of magnitude.

Personally, gaming was the only thing that could have made considered to dual boot Linux Mint and Windows, or having a dedicated PC gaming. Yet, now that Steam OS development has come, and made the need for that redundant.

While Linux might not become as mainstream as Windows or macOS, the fact that Steam OS has made gaming a thing on Linux makes me hopeful about the adoption of Linux.