My good friend has explained me interesting view on touch screens (not sure it is original) with which I agree: touch screens and the whole tablet story is super idea in the CONSUMER area (so for consumption of some content). Listen music, quick check e-mails, look at news, read books, etc. But as soon as it comes to PRODUCING the content, that is still far from perfect and in many cases unusable. Writing e-mails, books and specially programs is at least harder than using conventional methods. I think everyone can move master slider on its mixer without even looking at it. I can not do the same with tablet. Some people was smart designing black keys on significantly different height from white keys, I do not want them "optimized" down to absolutely flat surface...
 
When you open a text editor for the first time, it is great when you see buttons with "Bold", "Italic", "Table". At this phase you are consumer of that "product". But as soon as you start writing long text (become a producer of the text), you start to look for keyboard shortcuts. You no longer want "click" on all that fancy icons. At some point you do not even want to see them (they take useful space...). Is it different with music software?

Vas
After spending about an hour trying to insert an image to my post
to show you my studio set up, I gave up.

You just need several posts more... Spam protection.

So, I just want to say (an many know) that I really don't agree that touch can't replace a real control surface. I really like my touch screen. It works with Linux Ubuntu Studio too. When I touch something I know what I'm controlling. It really works quite well.
 
Now, I've never had a large board with motorized faders. I have an Alpha Track controller that I never really took to seriously. I mainly use the Alpha Track for transport control when Sonar will not be the program with the focus a lot of the time. This enables me to start and stop playback without making Sonar take the focus and come in front of 20 instances of RME DigiCheck.
 
I only use one monitor, and I adjust it as I want when I want. When I add my wife's TV for a second monitor, it gets finger prints all over it from me trying to touch it. I think the day will come where I need another.
 
One thing touch has caused me to do is get more practiced with the Overwrite/Latch and Touch Write Modes to get what I'm after.
 
Don't forget Windows and the + button (Alt L for lens) Lens zoom and windows button escape to undo. This allows you to zoom on anything you want and touch more explicitly. The lens can be dragged.

gswitz
 
I only use one monitor, and I adjust it as I want when I want. When I add my wife's TV for a second monitor, it gets finger prints all over it from me trying to touch it. I think the day will come where I need another.
 

I have had one, two, and three monitor setups and prefer one monitor because more than that impacts placement of the audio monitors (or two monitors means that neither is centered.  That is why I am using Sonar, because it has the best interface and works perfectly on a single screen.
 
I have considered enabling virtual desktops on my DAW.  Linux has this capability built in and for my Windows workstation (work) I'm using something called "Dexpot" which is highly configurable.

Here is my current studio setup:
http://www.artmusicdance.com/IMG_0821.JPG
Hope to eventually get rid of the iPad and put a Windows 10, 36” monitor in its place.
(Notice I am no longer saying 40” and may soon go down to a 32”)
I will use the multi-touch monitor as the keyboard or note generator and for any other function.
The top monitors swing in and out. 7” to the desktop.  My desktop is very deep.
The iPad and qwerty keyboards can slide under the top monitors.
The bottom qwerty can fit under the base platform.
I will not need any qwerty as a gesture will produce one on the multi-touch monitor. For serious writing I will have a real qwerty on the shelf ready for use. Would also be great to have a mouse pad appear on the multi-touch monitor and be able to also point on the top screens. Otherwise having a mouse on the desktop may be inconvenient and a bit out of reach. There are however some solutions I am contemplating.
I will have to design a base for the 36” multi-touch monitor so that it can slide forward and slide back under the two top monitors.
 
I also hope to use the multi-touch monitor when working with Photoshop.

John
You have crammed a lot of gear in there, Vas. 

True. it is well organized and it works great.
In any case it is not perfect but a good compromise.

So you have a little mouse house.

More like a mouse pedestal. The mouse will fall off the
pedestal and dethroned when we start using our
fingers to cat around on the multi-touch screen.

That's the Maxi:
http://www.artmusicdance.com/vasmusic/maxi.htm
I made it to experiment.

John
That is incredible. Wow Vas.  

John, thanks for the resounding approval.
 
If only some of the creativity going in the development for apps on the iPad were to be focused on the Windows multi-touch VST's, VSTi's, DAW's and Controllers  I will be extremely happy. Having more real estate these iPad developers will produce even bigger and better apps for the the Windows multi-touch environment. I can't wait for them to unleash their creative genius but I do wonder why the lack of interest for them to do so for Windows 8 musicians.