Is the modern OS moving away from multiple displays?

[i0Nic]

Mountain Lion does not play well when you have a setup that involves more than one display through external monitors. When you enter full screen mode for example, you are effectively using only one display.

Similarly with Windows 8, support for Metro across multiple screens is poor at best.

Instead we have virtualised desktops, fast app switching and expose to manage multiple windows. Our desktops and laptops are starting to behave more like mobile devices, and are also beginning to be limited by their constraints too.

Are we seeing the continuation of a trend that dismisses multiple monitors in a consumer environment? Or will we see this support return and grow once we move past the teething stage of change in operating systems?

 

[Alameda]

Full screen mode is exactly that. And what elae is an app to do in full screen mode? But multi monitor support continue to work fine for productivity use.

 

[throAU]

Probably.

After all, people are spending more time using machines not at their desk.

multiple displays still work the way they always have prior to lion, but expect new features to make better use of a single screen - because laptops are outselling desktops by a huge and increasing margin.

I haven't bought or used a desktop computer at work for about 6 years now (well, barring the mini)...

 

[i0Nic]

Full screen mode is exactly that. And what elae is an app to do in full screen mode? But multi monitor support continue to work fine for productivity use.

You can't make an app full screen in one display and a different app full screen in another display. This suggests that Apple is optimising the experience for a single screen device.

multiple displays still work the way they always have prior to lion, but expect new features to make better use of a single screen - because laptops are outselling desktops by a huge and increasing margin.

Yep I have to agree, all new features are optimised for the 11' and 13' Macbooks, the top selling machines. As a user running a dual screen set up, I have actually decided to forego the second screen now.