this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2025
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Why aren't computer monitors more commonly square, specifically in the workplace? (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by Quicky@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
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Almost all business applications have horizontal menus and ribbons that take up a decent percentage of a landscape monitor instead of utilising the "spare" screen space on the left or right, and a taskbar usually sits at the bottom or top of the screen eating up even more space (yes I know this can be changed but it's not the default).

Documents are traditionally printed/read in portrait which is reflected on digital documents.

Programmers often rotate their screens to be portrait in order to see more of the code.

Most web pages rarely seem to make use of horizontal real estate, and scrolling is almost universally vertical. Even phones are utilised in portrait for the vast majority of time, and many web pages are designed for mobile first.

Beyond media consumption and production, it feels like the most commonly used workplace productivity apps are less useful in landscape mode. So why aren't more office-based computer screens giant squares instead of horizontal rectangles?

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[–] Quicky@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Yeah. Strange that in general the applications themselves haven't transitioned with the hardware. Every office desktop seems to have a widescreen, but every office application still has its menus along the top by default, and does little to take advantage of the increased horizontal space.

[–] kersploosh@sh.itjust.works 14 points 3 days ago (1 children)

At work I usually need to have multiple windows up, so no one window spans the width of the display. It's often nice to have two documents side-by-side instead.

[–] UniversalBasicJustice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

If it's Windows give Fancy Zones (included in PowerToys) a whirl. Modifiable window snap zones are excellent.

[–] flambonkscious@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

Also altsnap is a great tool for throwing stuff around when not suited to fixed layouts

[–] Eat_Your_Paisley@lemm.ee 7 points 3 days ago (2 children)

If you have VESA mounts at your desk just use one in portrait and one in landscape, at least that's what I do

[–] Quicky@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

Exactly what I do too, then had a shower thought about why I had to.

[–] codenamekino@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Sideways T gang unite!

Maybe we should come up with a better name before we print the shirts.

[–] Ephera@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 days ago

LibreOffice has a way to switch to a sidebar UI. I always preferred that, because of what you describe...

[–] lordnikon@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It's also about the lease common denominator a 16:9 screen will show the aspect ratio of a 4:3 but a 4:3 won't show a 16:9. The whole point of a 16:9 was to fit all common ratios without distortion.

[–] Quicky@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Won't they both show 16:9 or 4:3 but with black bars either vertically or horizontally?

[–] lordnikon@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yeah but to show a 16:9 on a 4:3 it would be so small you would have more than half your screen taken up by black bars. It's the whole reason 16:9 was created to also help with the flat and scope film formats. To finally get rid of the awful practice of pan and scan.

[–] deranger@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

That just isn’t true. Viewing 16:9 on 4:3 doesn’t mean half your screen is black bars.