Controlling information display in larger pixel spaces: a study of window snipping by multiple-monitor users

Abstract

We evaluate snip, a region-based window operation, in the context of multiple-monitor usage. Snip allows users to restrict the view of any window to a specified subregion. For example snip is suitable for displaying appropriate reference information, a task of increased importance on multiple-monitor systems. Our field study results indicate that everyday multiple-monitor users employed snip to show more windows simultaneously than without snip and favored a specific monitor on which to show snipped windows. In short, the field study demonstrated an expected space-efficiency gain by using snip in multiple-monitor environments.