Here’s an interesting fact: Linux is the only operating system that can tilt your computer monitor diagonally, and you can set it to any angle you like. A developer from Melbourne named xssfox wasn’t happy with the usual choices of landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical) modes for monitors. So, they started promoting the idea of using a diagonal mode for computing, specifically at an angle of 22 degrees.
Many people who use computers have strong preferences for how their monitors are set up. Some like really wide and curved screens, while others prefer more square-shaped screens. Some power users even use multiple monitors. But what if you have an ultrawide screen and you think the usual landscape or portrait options are too extreme? That’s the situation xssfox found themselves in.
To find the perfect angle for software development, xssfox used an adjustable stand and a tool called “Linux xrandr” (which stands for “x resize and rotate”). They tried different screen angles, including slightly tilted ones like 1 degree and a more extreme 45-degree angle. These experiments didn’t produce clear benefits, so they kept searching.
Eventually, xssfox discovered that a 22-degree tilt to the left worked best for them. This angle made the screen space work well on a monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio from Dell. According to the developer, this orientation is ideal for software development because it provides longer lines of text, and you don’t have to worry about the 80-column limit anymore.
If you have a monitor with the same aspect ratio, you might find the 22-degree angle useful too. But if you have different preferences, xssfox has created a calculator that can generate the right settings for you using the xrandr tool. For example, if you have a square-shaped LG DualUp 28MQ780 monitor, you might want to try a “diamond mode.”
It’s important to note that Windows users with AMD and Nvidia drivers can only rotate their screens in 90-degree increments, and MacOS users face similar limitations.
