Legal Commentary

I can just about guarantee that once you read Ross Kodner's arguments for using multiple monitors, you will be pulling out your plastic to make a purchase.

Says Kodner, who is the president of Milwaukee-based MicroLaw, "Why are multiple displays so seductive? Because by using more than one monitor, you can create a large display area ? a wide virtual electronic desktop ? where you can display multiple programs simultaneously, each visible without overlapping the other. With the smooth slide of a mouse, you can move files across both screens as if it was a single field."

I speak from personal experience -- I'm addicted to my Dell widescreen second monitor, which when plugged into one of my laptops more than doubles my work space.

It's so great to be able to simultaneously see my e-mail while I edit a story, then do a quick fact check on the web, or check out Bill Pollak's most recent Tweet. (He's our CEO :)

Ross offers a lot of options, with a few caveats about what not to buy -- for example,  ix-nay on the USB adapters: "USB-based multiple display video adapters are alluring and inexpensive, but can be relatively worthless because of low display resolutions and slower screen refreshes and response time," he says.

He's also a huge fan of Digital Tiger, but for some reason, does not share my appreciation of Best Buy. (Admittedly, I'm spoiled by the terrific staff at BB's Kingston, N.Y. store.)

And caveat emptor: Monitors can be as addictive as buying songs on iTunes: Be careful or you may find yourself surfin' that Tiger site for a wall o' eight monitors!