Buzz
If you've visited the trading floor of a major brokerage, you've likely seen state-of-the-art workstations. Traders commonly use UNIX or NT systems with two or even four monitors to view numerous windows at once. The same has been possible on Macintoshes for years, commonly used by artists and editors who benefit from extra screen space.
You may prefer multiple monitors for the same reasons you might enjoy working at a large table. For instance, when working on taxes or a big science fair project, it's useful to have several books and multiple piles of paper open at once. On a computer, it's the same: certain tasks benefit from having multiple windows visible at the same time. This is particularly useful for programmers handling large projects, or artists and editors combining elements from different sources.
Windows 98 supports multiple monitors, enabling you to use two (or more) screens at once. To get started, you'll need a second graphics card and monitor. While it's best to have matching monitors and cards, it's not a requirement. You can position the monitors side by side for an extended desktop, or stack them vertically. With three or more monitors, you can arrange them in nearly any configuration.
Here are some helpful links if you'd like to dive deeper into this. The first link provides some excellent screenshots:
- Support for multiple monitors
- Setting up multiple monitors
- Frequently asked questions about multiple monitors
- Using multiple monitors with Windows 98: Performance and Compatibility
- Understanding how computer monitors work
