It's crucial to understand that multiple monitors does not equate to having multiple computers. In fact, having one computer for each monitor is exactly what you want to avoid. I tried to run two computers simultaneously when I first started trading back in 1996. I was using a web browser for research and news on one machine, while my quote software was loaded on the second. I found myself constantly making dumb mistakes, like trying to move mouse #1 when I really meant to move mouse #2.

The real problem came when I started making mistakes that carried greater consequences. For example, I was holding a stock one time when some negative news came out. I immediately tried to get out, but I couldn't. Why? Because I was trying to type my order on the wrong keyboard! As soon as I realized my mistake, I quickly moved to the other keyboard and started over. By the time I entered the order again, the stock had tanked far enough that I could have bought a brand new computer system with the money I had lost. Needless to say, that little incident caused me to rethink my hardware setup.

In the next two lessons, we'll look at the display technologies that are required to build a reliable multi-monitor setup using a single computer.

Lesson 4: Video Card