Last month I was talking about my IT budget for this year and said:

My window in to this world for the past 8 years has been my trust [sic] 21" Sony CRT monitor. Although it's done well to survive it is showing signs of being "on its way out". It pings on and off sometimes and there are wiggly lines coming down the screen if you look hard enough. That's why another part of my IT budget has been put on reserved [sic] for when the Samsung SM226BW 22" TFT comes on the market. It's had good reviews and should save some desk space.

Since then I've been contemplating whether or not to switch from CRT to TFT as well as try to track one of them down. This weekend I made my mind up and managed to find one in my local PC World (spit indeed, David). Swallowing my pride yesterday I walked in to the Nottingham PC World and picked up a brand new 226BW for £235 (web price gotten by using "Collect at Store").

How did I manage without it!?

Having had it on the desk next to the old CRT I can't believe how dull and lifeless the old monitor was. Whether this was through age or not, I don't know, but I can see a massive difference straight away. Any doubts I had about switching are now gone.

My idea had been to somehow run them side by side for a while, letting me make up my mind which to use on a permanent basis. However, I'm so impressed by the TFT that I've simply unplugged the CRT and mercilessly tossed it aside after eight years of dutiful service.

It's time to make way for the future. What with CRTs becoming a thing of the past. It's all about TFTs now. While I was in PC World waiting to be served beneath the blue narch * I didn't notice a single PC for sale with a CRT. This helped allay my other worry — that switching to a TFT means I wouldn't be seeing what I create through the eyes of a proportion of my users. That proportion will be ever-decreasing and so not something to worry about too much. For now, having a TFT is the better option.

The Sony 21" CRT cost me a whopping £650 all those years ago. About four years ago, while working with Mike Golding, we went up The Tottenham Court Road (why is it cool to put "the" before the names of roads, but only in London?) and I bought a 14" Sony TFT for £450. Now the price is hard to resist. Even Karen didn't have much ground for objection.

Now, not only do I have a crisp and clear display I also have a load of desk space I didn't know I was missing.

* The man who greeted me with a cheery hello at the door pointed me over to the "blue narch" when I asked where to find what I'd reserved. The what I asked? The "blue narch!" he repeated. The "blue what?" I asked again looking round the shop for anything at all that was blue. The ba-loooon arrrch" he said, patronisingly slowly. Didn't I feel stupid!