I will eventually build a home office with custom cabinetry, eco-friendly materials, storage, and spaces for all of my active hardware. Before I start the design work, I want to flush out what I think my primary work area will be. To that end, I am testing out various software and hardware ideas. Here is the most current one …

There are two primary computers running – a ThinkPad X60 for meat and potatoes work (email, documents, technical design, etc.); and a ThinkPad T61p for graphics work, research, personal email, morning blog reading, and management of the office systems (printers, NAS, network, etc.)

I will eventually look at buying a larger monitor but for now, I want to use what I have. So, on the right in the picture, there is a 1600×1200 21" monitor in portrait mode connected to the work PC. In the middle is an an old 17" 1280×1024 monitor, and on the left it is actually my personal laptop turned on it’s side with the 1920×1200 display in portrait mode. The personal laptop is set for two monitors. I then use Synergy+ to share a single keyboard/mouse across the two computers and three monitors.

Nothing is permanent. The "sideways laptop" is held in place by a temporary wooden stand an I am using old boxes to try out different heights of the displays.

Over the next several weeks, I use different setups and try to keep posting the options and my observations with each.