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Comment by sswam | Hacker News Reader

I got an HP mini this week, runs Ubuntu 10.04 very nicely, and has a lovely matte screen. It was the only laptop in shop with a nice matte screen, even the super $3000 3d laptop had a glossy screen! Who wants a glossy screen, are they insane?

I deliberately use slower machines so that I write more efficient code!

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It could be that most laptop manufacturers are copying Apple's glossy-only-unless-you're-rich Macbook design.

Which is - I'll agree with you on this - rather ridiculous.

Glossy screens have a much higher contrast ratio, aren't covered in plastic and are much easier to clean. You can easily stick a matte layer over the glass if it's that much of an issue.

Can you recommend a good matte cover? I was just going to replace the entire screen on my MacBook.

The anti-glare film from PowerSupportUSA.com is the best computer accessory I've ever bought.

Thanks! Ordered.

I think it is more of a what people want thing as glossy displays do look prettier when glare and other factors are not interfering.

Apple was actually quite late to the glossy party. Side by side glossy screens are preferred by customers, at least in the short "Pepsi challenge" comparison.

the reason being something along the lines of "oooh, shiny!"

Practically every monitor in our office is of course matte. If they were glossy displays, we would really be struggling to read any text on them! Perhaps this is more of a problem for people like me who prefer white-on-black.

> I deliberately use slower machines so that I write more efficient code!

That's a good trick. Runners do something similar: http://www.nefitco.com/weightvestarticleuk.html

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