[chaz]

$500 is such a small amount to pay, it is easily recouped over the course of a year. $100k to pay a developer? Just 0.5% to break even through reduction in time spent, or increase in comfort, or decreased eye strain, additional time spent working, or improved retention. It can be a signal to potential hires that you spend money where it counts, instead of fancy foosball tables or a 75" plasma in the reception area. I always tried to get my team the hardware they wanted because it's such an easy problem to solve as a manager and can pay in spades.

I agree it's not an automatic improvement, but I'll take that bet every time.

[johndriscoll]

You seem like a very nice employer :)

For many of us that have in the past (or still do) work for less-than-very-nice employers, or ones without as much money available to spend on hardware for their team, there was/is always hope in improving your own practices. I have spent a lot of time investment improving my own practices and I wouldn't give up CLI, workspaces or dvorak for enough 4K monitors to line a conference room with.