Win2k/XP Multiple Monitors done right?

[Ilwrath]

Hey folks... I have a quick question, or at least it should be...  Does anyone know of a hack to do multiple monitors the right way?  

For example, I do NOT want to stretch a single desktop across two monitors, but rather have a desktop on one monitor, with the ability to send ONLY A SPECIFIC APPLICATION [along with its requestors] to the other monitor.

The reason, of course, if I turn on multiple monitors and stretch the desktop across them, then Windows does all sorts of brain-dead things like pop requestors for applications that are on monitor 1 onto monitor two.  Or pop requestors that are split across the two monitors, which you have to drag around before you can even read them.  (And this is somehow supposed to HELP productivity?)  

What I really want to do is use an old monitor to run a sort-of dashboard app on the 2nd video card, and run everything else like normal on the main head.  Any ideas, how to do this seemingly simple thing, folks?

[billchase]

I believe NVIDIA calls the feature you want DualView (ATI
supports it too just don't remember the name), but that is
working off one video card.  I am not sure how to implement
that feature with two seperate video cards.  Might just be
easier to you use a single card that supports dual monitors.

C Snyder
 

[Zac67]

The trick is to use desktop extension to the 2nd monitor, but arrange them diagonally so they only touch on one corner - much harder to lose the mouse pointer that way and braindead apps can't maximize across both monitors (no split requesters either).
As to the requester popups: use your graphic card's tools to direct these to the correct monitor. Yes, sometimes it just doesn't work - it's Windoze...

[Animagic]

From my experience the best way to use 2,3,4,8,16,whatever... monitors on pc is Matrox. Try a P650 (Dual Head) P750 (Triple Head) or Parhelia.
Parhelia rocks in terms of 2D, office, Lightwave, 3D Studio MAX, Maya, Alias, Premiere, Photoshop, After Effects and many more... THE BEST !. Comes complete with drivers, patches for the programs above and of course Matrox Desktop which will help you "point" any program at any "head" of the card.

I've been using Matrox's Dual Head Cards since Millenium G400. I've tried Ati and Nvidia cards in "dual view" and nothing compares with matrox. (Nothing compares also to the video output matrox cards have... crystal clear! )Trust me :-D

[adolescent]

I never had this problem, maybe it's a configuration issue.  On my laptop when I use a second monitor on the doc all requesters and programs open up on the primary display.  I have to move/redirect apps to the second screen.

BTW, I'm using the built in Windows XP DualView, not a 3rd party app.

Check out UltraMon.  It's a tool to help manage multiple monitors.