Screen Space (Question for Visual Studio Developers)

[fps_dean]

I would like to get a tablet for books, and could use a second computer for mostly web browsing or messenger while watching movies or gaming on the xbox -- a tablet would actually be more ideal than a computer as the screens are smaller and thus not as bright. I have some friends and my partner on my websites who I am in constant contact with.

I would also like to get a laptop with a higher resolution that I could do some fairly development work with (.NET), so I could go out to a coffee shop, or maybe sit out on the deck when it's nicer out and do some coding. I have a desktop that I use for all of my development work currently, and would continue to be used for a good amount of it.

I have been considering the Surface Pro -- it will have enough power and resolution to do development work with, but the one catch is the 10.6" screen size.

I tried out the Surface RT at Best Buy, which is lower resolution and I would not have a problem with that aside from the resolution being not as wide as I would like. The touch keyboard wasn't as bad as I thought other than I have to look at the keys to know where I'm typing (and with experience, I'd probably get used to that too) but the type keyboard was as good as a real keyboard.

Plus the tablets look all-around pretty useful. If I can use it to code out on the deck a few days this summer, then I'm completely sold.

Has anyone managed to code effectively on a smaller screen?

 

[Grape Jelly]

I have used it successfully to write code, but I have only done it via remote desktop to my desktop pc. It works well as long as you can get used to the touch keyboard. To be honest, I haven't used it like I want to as a stand alone development tool. I'd love to be able to take my Surface anywhere and work on a project. Instead, I find myself taking notes while I'm away and coding when I'm a home or the office. There are some apps out there for coding, but you can't use Visual Studio or other x86 apps until the Pro comes out.

You will have to make more use of the zoom function and scrolling than you probably ever do with a desktop monitor, but it is a small price to pay for the ability to take your computer anywhere you want to go. I tend to use the Surface even when I'm at my desktop. It makes a great reference tool and note taker. It is easier to follow and instructional video or article on the Surface.

 

[ArnoldC]

I use Code Writer app, and will not compain about the environment, it does the job. I will not compare it to my previous envirment where 1 monitor is for the emulator, 1 monitor for the editor, 1 monitor for debugging, and 1 monitor for Facebook

 

[Codevine]

That's actually one of the reasons I still think about. Currently I have a 13" notebook which works just fine for "smaller tasks", but it gets tricky when you need a documentation, design document or other stuff and you have to switch constantly. Working on my desktop is (of course) a lot better. I guess it'll be kind of the same with the Surface Pro. As long as I know what I have to code and I don't have to manage a lot of documents/websites, then it'll be just fine. Switching between them all the time on the notebook is rather annoying, though. I wouldn't really want to seriously debug an application, too.

I still have to try it with the 10,6", but actually coding in Visual Studio will probably work fine - as long as you can get a lot of code down without switching between files a lot (in the way that you would have had those files open simultaneously at your desktop, not like: "I need to edit/see/work on this file first, then this, then this".

 

[fps_dean]

I got my hands on a Surface Pro on Saturday. Haven't had much time to play with it yet really, but I did install Visual studio and setup IIS, and I think it will work for most of what I need it for (occasional coding on the road where I cannot lug my desktop). I can also use it to do a lot of non-coding work on my projects, like whiteboarding with my partner to design concepts and putting content together.

I also type as fast on the type cover keyboard as I do on any laptop.

I just need to make sure I have a higher table to be effective.

 

[dlacaba]

I've installed Visual Studio on my pro but I've only done Eclipse PHP programming so far. Same as programming on any other laptop for me.