Oversizing the desktop over than the monitor resolution...

Menci · 09 May 2012

Hi,
Do you remember Windows 95? You could set your desktop resolution bigger than the resolution of your monitor (it could have a 1024x768 desktop with a VGA monitor - 640x480). Now we all have monitors with a resolution of almost 1280x1024 (mine is 1680 x 1050). We have twice as much space in size, but almost five times as number of opened programs. Regardless of many windows programs (like the ones I use, and I think many others), which, of course, engage, are contextual, but reduce the space available for the job.

I already throw some programs that allow you to manage more virtual desktop, but they are able to separate programs, not to give you more space.

I already throw some programs (like gimespace) that they simulate the desktop oversize shifting all visible windows into a direction, but if a context switch off a window, I shift the desktop and the context reshow that window, it will appair in the same phisical location.

But I like exactly that Win7 makes exactly what Win95 did.

Neutron16 · 12 May 2012

Well, this was done on purpose since Vista. Vista and 7 follow EDID no matter what. However, some hardware hacks are avialable for CRT (old tube) monitors.

But nowadays with LCD monitors the story is different, because they use fixed number of pixels (yes, lower resolutions are interpolated). Thus, forcing LCD monitors in higher resolution (higher than intended by manufacturer) may cause huge problems with quality of image.

At the same time looks like some Nvidia cards allow custom resolution (with Nvidia drivers, not generic).
But I have not tried that myself, so can not comment on that.

Menci · 14 May 2012

No, it's not what I meant.
I wanted to to have a desktop larger than the size of the monitor's resolution. What I meant is: 1280x1024 monitor - Resolution used: 1280x1024, desktop size: 2500x2000.
Seeing only a portion of the desktop into the monitor, but going with the mouse in an edge, the seeing area of desktop follows the mouse.
Have you seen how Magnifier works? Monitor resolution 1280x1024, 2x magnification, viewing modes: Full Screen -> your monitor displays an area of 640x512 but with a "virtual desktop" 1280x1024. I'd like having the same, but with a magnification of 1x