Lately I’ve been experimenting with different desktop monitor setups, primarily for productivity-focused work as a systems engineer (coding, writing docs, Slack, email, terminals, etc.). Over the past few years, I’ve rotated through:
• 3× 24” 1080p monitors
• 2× 24” 1080p monitors + laptop display
• 1× 32” 4K monitor + laptop display
• 1× 32” 4K monitor
• Laptop display only (on a stand)

Surprisingly, I’ve found that I feel the most focused and productive when I use only my laptop display and rely on Alt-Tab to switch between apps.

With larger monitors or multiple displays I start to feel scattered. It almost turns into sensory overload, and my focus drops off.

Has anyone else experienced this? Do you find that larger or multiple monitors decrease your productivity? What setup works best for you?

This thread is posted weekly - please try to post all relevant US political content in here, such as news, updates, opinion articles, etc. Extremely significant events may warrant a separate topic, but almost all should be posted in here.

This is an inherently political thread; please try to avoid antagonistic arguments and bickering matches. Comment threads that devolve into unproductive arguments may be removed so that the overall topic is able to continue.

I'm very excited to be taking a trip to Thailand with my wife for our honeymoon.

I'm going to do some clothes shopping this week and keen to take advice from those who live in or have travelled to SEA or specifically Thailand before.

I'm going for a minimal approach, so I'll be taking as few clothes as possible and having them laundered whilst I'm there.

For underwear, I'm settled on stocking up on Uniqlo's airism boxers as they're already the most comfortable I've ever owned and I'm certain they'll hold up well to the tropics.

In that vein, I'm not sure if I should also go for the airism t-shirts, or if there's an obviously better choice. I hear lots of mixed opinions on cotton vs merino vs synthetics. I sweat too much for cotton, and have never got on that well with merino (outside of jumpers/sweaters). Given I'll only be there for a couple of weaks, I'm feeling that synthetics are the way to go. But I'm happy to be convinced otherwise.

For footwear I'm going to wear my Altra Escalantes. I'm currently training for a marathon and will have to do at least a few runs while I'm out there, so these will serve as my running shoes and for anywhere I might appreciate plain black shoes (or something more supportive than sandals). Otherwise, I'll be living in my Birkenstock arizonas.

I'll be packing two linen shirts, one linen trousers and then a couple of very lightweight shorts. Again, I'm avoiding cotton with the shorts. I have some ABC WovenAir pull-on shorts from Lululemon that I think will be very comfortable, but I'd be keen for recommendation for another pair or two. I've been told the pacebreakers from Lululemon are great, but not sure if an order from there will arrive on time.

I'm based in the UK, so any recommendations would ideally before for shops we have here, or international brands like Decathlon, Uniqlo, H&M etc.

I understand this is all very personal, but I like hearing different preferences.

Personally - and keeping it spoiler free - I thought Season 4 was much better than I expected it to be. It felt a lot more sincere and there was just a lot more going on than in some of the other seasons.

Wondering if anyone had any thoughts they want to share?

Introduction

switches to a dramatic music

Once upon a time, aboard a humble and perpetually cursed train, you unraveled its hidden mysteries and stumbled upon a battered yet magnificent vessel, the fabled Epoch, known to drift through the rivers of time.

With courage and a bit of chaos, you wrestled with its failing gears, tumbling through one strange era after another, from glittering ages of kings and heroes to worlds of shaky shapes and flickering lights. When at last the poor machine gave out, it left you stranded upon a world that shimmered with hope, one where humans could live once more.

But strength alone could not carry you through. Words held the power to wound anyone, and with a talking boat as your guide, you braved vast and endless seas. Along your travels, you witnessed wonders beyond counting: dazzling sunsets, curious creatures, and riddles that twisted like waves upon the ocean breeze.

One day, your voyage brought you to an island grander than imagination, crowned with towers of steel and roads that roared with life. Here, you discovered a new kind of magic: a gleaming machine called a car, and a city that pulsed with speed, shining light and the ability to snatch vehicle parts. Against all odds, you mastered the art of racing, earning cheers from strangers and respect from rivals.

And how did such triumph end? With celebration, of course! A raucous party full of laughter, music, and friends who toasted your name. Yet among the clinking cups and glowing lamps, one curious drink caught your eye; warm, green, and gleaming like liquid emerald. "Nothing to worry about!" you said with a grin, before the world began to swirl and fade...

When next you opened your eyes, you awoke in a quiet hospital filled with echoes of distant wars. Your reflection showed smooth, unblemished hands, your face untouched by time. Days passed before truth finally dawned, the doctor's wild tale was no fantasy.

"WHAAT?!"

You had been reborn as the Prince of Sablé, bound for the Millefeuille Kingdom in search of the boastful Prince Richard and the princess who vanished by his side. Ahead lay a land of talking frogs, slithering foes, glittering treasures, and tests of both heart and wit. So begins your tale, of friendship, rivalry, and a destiny spun from courage and wealth.

Welcome, noble traveler, to the world of wonder and whimsy of...

Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls)

IN GAME BOYS 2026.03.01

switches to a much, much less dramatic music

Aaaaaand that's enough wacky storytelling for now. Time to jump into my personal experiences!

My first brush with Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru came back in 2008, when I randomly pulled a Sabure Prince sticker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. As years went by (and thanks to our good old broadband Internet), I started connecting the dots, especially after noticing all the interesting nods to this mysterious game hidden in Link's Awakening.

Remember that suave guy surrounded by frogs in a villa in the middle of nowhere? Yep, that's Prince Richard, and his appearance in Link's Awakening isn't just some random cameo.

In fact, Link's Awakening actually runs on a modified version of Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru's game engine. You can even see the connection in the way both games handle screen transitions between areas.

Fast-forward to October 2012: I imported a Japanese 3DS to get around the region lock and play Japan-only titles. The first thing I did? Jump onto the eShop and grab the original Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru.

I fumbled my way through the story with almost zero Japanese knowledge, relying on a GameFAQs guide to make sense of what was happening. It was charming and funny even then, though the language barrier definitely made me appreciate the idea of a second playthrough with a fan translation someday.

Around that time, I was also forcing myself to learn hiragana and katakana, mainly to understand what Gulliver (aka Johnny) was rambling about in the Japanese version of Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Reading the low-res Japanese text on a tiny screen was another story, though, it made telling certain characters apart a real challenge.

Jumping ahead to 2025, one of my two CGA suggestions for the voting thread surprisingly made it through in a three-way tie! Naturally, I fired up the English patch using the bgb emulator and revisited the game, doing some extra reading online along the way.

I even gave Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls a try to see what inspired the title. Honestly, though, I couldn't stick with it; the dense descriptions and grim themes of war stories just drained me. Two hours of reading for ten pages and remembering nothing? Not the best time. Still, it helped me appreciate how The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls borrows the title, then hops off in a totally different, more lighthearted direction.

This month, I'm planning another playthrough, this time the old-school way. A genuine DMG-CPU-07 Game Boy, pea-green screen, four fresh AA batteries, and a good light source. A full run only takes about six hours, so battery life won't be an issue.

With that, it's time to ribbit our way into Millefeuille Kingdom!

Game Information

Year of the release: 1992

Platforms: Game Boy

Genre(s): Action role-playing

Links: Mobygames, Wikipedia

Where to find the game:

• eBay (Original Release): Prices fluctuate due to the game's uncommon status. A loose cartridge is usually much cheaper than a Complete-in-Box copy (which includes the game, manual, and box).
• Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Classics: Game Boy App: The Japanese version of the app currently includes this title. You can access it by setting your Nintendo account region to Japan and having an active Nintendo Switch Online membership.
• Nintendo 3DS - Virtual Console: The game used to be available here, but since the 3DS eShop shut down in March 2023, it’s no longer accessible. Still worth mentioning for the sake of completeness.
• Sailing the Seven Seas: If you're comfortable navigating the more questionable parts of the internet (and the legal risks that come with it), this is another way people have found the game, though obviously not the recommended route.

Patching the Game in English

If you manage to acquire the game's ROM file, make sure its CRC32 checksum matches with C18CD57A before applying any translation patch. Then, apply them in that order:

1. ryanbgstl's English translation patch for the ROM
2. Hamikon's Addendum if you want a more faithful title logo

Can't get any ROM-patching program running? Feel free to use Marc Robledo's Rom Patcher JS website!

Game Setup

The main purpose of this topic is to get people up and running with the game. As such, it's recommended that you:

• Share what hardware you're playing it on
• Share if there are any tools/mods that you recommend
• Share anything you think is important for people to know before they start the game
• Ask questions if you need help

Another purpose of this topic is to revisit the game and its time period:

• Do you have any memories or associations with this game itself?
• What about its system or era?
• What aspects of retro gaming were common at the time?
• What other games from the same time period are you familiar with?
• What are you expecting from this game in particular?

Finally, this topic is the beginning discussion for people starting to play it:

• Post updates sharing your thoughts as you play.
• Ask for help if you get stuck.
• Offer help to others.

It is recommended that you reply to your own posts if you are making consecutive updates so that they are in the same thread.

IMPORTANT: Any links to the game should be legal distributions of the game only. Please do NOT link to any unauthorized copies.

IMPORTANT: Put any spoilers in a dropdown block. Copy/paste the block below if needed.

<details>
<summary>Spoilers</summary>

Spoiler text goes here.
</details>

FAQ

Without further ado, let's all pop the cartridge in, and power that chunky brick on!

> CONTINUE

(Credit to @Boojum for the splash screen. Can't dive deep into pixelated adventures without this masterpiece!)

Add awesome game deals to this topic as they come up over the course of the week!

Alternately, ask about a given game deal if you want the community’s opinions: e.g. “What games from this bundle are most worth my attention?”

Rules:

• No grey market sales
• No affiliate links

If posting a sale, it is strongly encouraged that you share why you think the available game/games are worthwhile.

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