My Old Tired Eyes ...

[GrayHare]

Choose a larger sized font in programs, where possible. Many browsers will let you override the text font of a web page with the font you prefer. Note though that some web sites are behind the times with regard to font sizes and fail to function well with larger fonts.

 

[Souschef]

I have one pair of bifocals where the upper portion focuses at 30 inches, just perfect for the monitor. It is a little of a PITA to switch glasses, but not a big deal.

 

[easysurfer]

In my current situation, I use a desktop about 95% of the time at home.

Short trips away, I can get by just keeping in touch with folks by my phone.

But several days away, I get stir crazy and want to connect to my desktop remotely. That's where the laptop comes in.

At present, have an old Dell Latitude D620 but the screen resolution is nothing to write home about. That I still can use temporarily as a backup Windows computer (hooking up to a monitor) in case my Desktop need fixing.

I also have a used Thinkpad T420s with Linux loaded. Screen resolution is 1600 x 900 which is an improvement over the Dell, but after about 30 minutes, feels like I'm looking at a tiny netbook.

So, now I'm eyeing Dell workstations. A 15 inch and a 17 inch. They are a bit hefty in weight, but along with better resolution, I like how their back cases open up in case I need to do repair like changing fans.

 

[ERD50]

I sure don't consider 17" overkill!

Hopefully, you are aware of the keys you can use to in a window on your browser (and many other programs). I use that a lot.

On my chromium/Xubuntu, it is CNTRL + or - and/or CNTRL-Scroll-Wheel. I use it so much, I had to look to see what I was doing, it's just muscle memory.

I've noticed more and more sites seem to be using gray/blue text on a grey/blue background Geez, black on white please!

-ERD50

 

[W2R]

I think you should try the 17".

 

[easysurfer]

I think you should try the 17".

I was kinda hoping your wouldn't say that as I was leaning towards a 15".

Anyhow, the one's I'm looking at over at ebay are either a Dell M4600 (15", comes in at 6.2 lbs) or Dell M6400 (17", comes in at 8.5 lbs!). Both have a numeric keypad, which is nice.

Prices, seen the 17" for $189. The 15", configured to what I want around $300 (dizzying combinations to look at).

A dumb question to 17" owners. Would I need a larger computer airline type roller than usual, or would the regular sized ones work?

 

[W2R]

I was kinda hoping your wouldn't say that as I was leaning towards a 15".

Anyhow, the one's I'm looking at over at ebay are either a Dell M4600 (15", comes in at 6.2 lbs) or Dell M6400 (17", comes in at 8.5 lbs!). Both have a numeric keypad, which is nice.

Prices, seen the 17" for $189. The 15", configured to what I want around $300 (dizzying combinations to look at).

A dumb question to 17" owners. Would I need a larger computer airline type roller than usual, or would the regular sized ones work?

I used to carry my 17" Toshiba laptop in the computer place in my rolling carry-on luggage, back when I was traveling for work and had that laptop. It fit and I could zip it shut. If it hadn't, I would have put it in the clothing compartment but that would have been awkward at the TSA line.

The 17" is indeed a little heavier, especially if you use your laptop on your lap. Lately I have a laptop table on a swing arm that I use here at home. Maybe next time I will get another 17" laptop although presently I am back to 15".

 

[easysurfer]

I used to carry my 17" Toshiba laptop in the computer place in my rolling carry-on luggage, back when I was traveling for work and had that laptop. It fit and I could zip it shut. If it hadn't, I would have put it in the clothing compartment but that would have been awkward at the TSA line.

The 17" is indeed a little heavier, especially if you use your laptop on your lap. Lately I have a laptop table on a swing arm that I use here at home. Maybe next time I will get another 17" laptop although presently I am back to 15".

Glad to know a 17" should fit in a rolling carry-on. I never put a laptop (any size) on my lap.

This is good feedback. A couple of questions. 1) What made you go back to 15" instead of 17"? 2) Do you miss the size of the 17"?

 

[W2R]

Glad to know a 17" should fit in a rolling carry-on. I never put a laptop (any size) on my lap.

This is good feedback. A couple of questions. 1) What made you go back to 15" instead of 17"? 2) Do you miss the size of the 17"?

Originally it was because the 17" felt so heavy on my lap. I have bad knees and putting something heavy on them as I compute in my easy chair, is not good. I just bought this swivel table a year ago, because I can keep my laptop off my knees and put a gel ice pack on them under the table, instead. Since then, the weight is no longer an issue but I was having trouble finding the specs I wanted in a 17" laptop at around the same price. I didn't try too hard, I admit. Still, I think it would be fun to have a 17" again, but I guess I am happy with either.

On a Windows 10 PC, if you hold down "CTRL" with your left hand, and scroll forward with the middle mouse button, you can increase the magnification of what you see in your browser. I use that a lot.

 

[easysurfer]

Originally it was because the 17" felt so heavy on my lap. I have bad knees and putting something heavy on them as I compute in my easy chair, is not good. I just bought this swivel table a year ago, because I can keep my laptop off my knees and put a gel ice pack on them under the table, instead. Since then, the weight is no longer an issue but I was having trouble finding the specs I wanted in a 17" laptop at around the same price. I didn't try too hard, I admit. Still, I think it would be fun to have a 17" again, but I guess I am happy with either.

On a Windows 10 PC, if you hold down "CTRL" with your left hand, and scroll forward with the middle mouse button, you can increase the magnification of what you see in your browser. I use that a lot.

I've never seen a 17" laptop up close and that might be fun seeing such a beast. But the novelty might wear off. Plus the size may be okay at first, but do think the weight might discourage me to travel with.

Thanks for the CTRL + scroll tip. In the remote software I use, there are options to view screen as actual size, which is less strain and squinting. But then turns the screen on the laptop to a virtual screen, but I lose the pure feel of sitting in front of my home desktop.

I'm still leaning towards a 15" laptop, but that 17" inch one on ebay is pretty tempting at the right price too.

 

[harley]

Computer glasses. I don't need them yet, but if I was working on a desktop I would probably use them. Sort of a middle distance lens and anti-glare coating to reduce eye strain.

 

[Sunset]

I personally believe bigger is better, I like using my desktop as I have 2 - 27" screens. My laptop with a 15" screen seems so small, and my netbook and phone are really just for pressing against my nose.

 

[easysurfer]

Still in browsing mode and not ready to pull the trigger. But looks like I'm being followed . Was browsing on ebay, but now Facebook has pages from ebay with the laptops showing up as suggested pages.

 

[W2R]

Still in browsing mode and not ready to pull the trigger. But looks like I'm being followed . Was browsing on ebay, but now Facebook has pages from ebay with the laptops showing up as suggested pages.

Facebook is showing me Amazon ads for the computer I am typing on right now. That is probably because I looked it up when thinking about your posts and what to say in my answers on this thread.

Some day Facebook and Amazon will figure out that if I bought something, I'm not likely to buy the exact same thing. They would do better showing me ads for something else.

 

[easysurfer]

Facebook is showing me Amazon ads for the computer I am typing on right now. That is probably because I looked it up when thinking about your posts and what to say in my answers on this thread.

Some day Facebook and Amazon will figure out that if I bought something, I'm not likely to buy the exact same thing. They would do better showing me ads for something else.

Maybe won't make you feel so bad as I've been driving pretty regularly recently to help out a family member that lives about 10 miles away. Google on my phone thinks that's my regular commute work. At least Google doesn't know(not yet ) that I'm retired.

 

[ABQ2015]

I had a 17.2" Dell laptop and liked it but it was too heavy for airline travel - but I'm a petite female and did not use a rolling carry-on. I had a a 12-13" laptop for travel.

When my large Dell died this year and the smaller laptop (which is 10 years old and could also die at any time) was not cutting it for regular use, I bought a 15" laptop with higher resolution. It works well for both travel and home use but I just retired so no longer work on reports at home and am mostly surfing the internet these days. My plan is to eventually get a docking station where I can hook up larger monitors and a keyboard to my laptop and use it for genealogy research, etc. One thing I miss about work is no longer having a good office setup with two large monitors and a fast B/W printer.

 

[TromboneAl]

Update on the Oasis:

I sent it back but I'm buying myself a new, larger screen Oasis 2 for Christmas.

 

[TromboneAl]

Check this out (expand the images to full size to appreciate):

 

[easysurfer]

Al,

Is your comparison illustration between 17" vs 15" monitors?

Sure is a big difference.

 

[TromboneAl]

Al,

Is your comparison illustration between 17" vs 15" monitors?

Sure is a big difference.

No. Both are on the same monitor.

I just changed the magnification of text in the top right menu of FireFox. Chrome has the same thing.

 

[easysurfer]

No. Both are on the same monitor.

I just changed the magnification of text in the top right menu of FireFox. Chrome has the same thing.

Ah. Thanks for the demo.

 

[gayl]

Try mobile on the smart phone .... I maybe turn the 13" laptop on 1-2 times a year

 

[Scrapr]

No. Both are on the same monitor.

I just changed the magnification of text in the top right menu of FireFox. Chrome has the same thing.

I use that a lot. Either 110% or 125%. Like it a lot. But then I just upgraded my monitor to a 32" on the office desktop. may have to go down to 90%.

 

[harley]

No. Both are on the same monitor.

I just changed the magnification of text in the top right menu of FireFox. Chrome has the same thing.

IE has it too, down in the right hand corner, assuming you have the status bar enabled. I use it some, usually when I can't see everything one screen. I run at 125% most of the time, and occasionally shift down to 100%.

 

[ERD50]

I use that a lot. Either 110% or 125%. Like it a lot. But then I just upgraded my monitor to a 32" on the office desktop. may have to go down to 90%.

Maybe it's a Linux thing (I don't think so), but in many programs (and all browsers I think) I can zoom in/out by just holding the Control Key and scrolling my mouse wheel.

Doesn't this work for other's? So fast and easy to change on the fly, no going to the menu.

-ERD50