IN ORDER TO SEE GREAT CHARTS, YOU NEED PIXELS!

I had a great time in Cleveland this week. The AAII meeting there that I presented at was terrific with lots of great questions and audience participation. After the presentation, a very nice gentleman came up to me and started to ask me a question. He started with "I have a 13 inch monitor at home…"

Unfortunately, I never heard the rest of his question because he had hit one of my hot buttons and I (very rudely) interrupted him. (I totally apologize for interrupting like I did. It was wrong of me and I don't normally do that.)

Here's the thing - if you are serious about charting, you need pixels. The more the better. And now a days, pixels are cheap - really, really, REALLY cheap. Check out these prices from Google for 24-inch monitors:

(Click here to see up-to-date Google shopping results.)

As you can see, there are lots of monitors from name brand manufacturers for less than $300(!) these days. These things used to cost over $2000, but those days are long gone. If you are at all serious about charting (either by using our website or some other program) you really do owe it to yourself to make sure you have the biggest monitor you can get. Price really isn't an excuse any more.

- Chip

Chip, I agree with your post 100%. I'd like to add that it's also as important to me to have a 2nd monitor in an extended desktop. Frequently I find the need to refer to another chart - e.g. of another timeframe, or of an equivalent index, while I annotate a chart. Without the benefit of a 2nd monitor, I would have to switch back and forth from one web tab to another. On a related note, but on the input rather than output (viewing) side, I'm interested in your thoughts as to what mouse or equivalent input device works best for annotation. Will having a wacom tablet help or not? Thanks.

Posted by: Michael Lim October 22, 2010 at 04:40 AM

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