RE: Text line length - Was: [Seen this lately?]

Hugh,

I actually find (b) easier since it's not *squished* with all that 
right-hand white space. Newspaper columns may be narrow, but they do 
contain text all the way across the page.

(since you made the *bet*),
Tamara

At 08:13 PM 1/22/01 -0600, Hugh Blair wrote:
>And for those that don't believe Ted, look at the
>following.  Which is easier to read?  I'd bet that
>you'll find (A) easier to read.
>
>Right on, Ted.
>
>-Hugh
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > Behalf Of Ted Temer
> > Subject: Re: Seen this lately?
>
>(A) (Ruler shows a minimum of 39, maximum of 46)
>
>                1         2         3         4
>       1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456
>-------------------------------------------------------------
>       Those who study such things have pretty
>       well agreed that the "ideal" line length
>       for most people is somewhere between 35
>       and 45 total characters and spaces. Anything
>       over that and people start to have difficulty.
>       And sure--some more than others. Anything
>       less and you start to have trouble completing
>       a phrase or thought without using a LOT of
>       lines. In fact, the only media that normally
>       does this, is newspapers. The only reason
>       they use these narrow columns is to increase
>       flexibility in advertisement placement.
>(B)
>
>Those who study such things have pretty well agreed that the "ideal" line
>length for most people is somewhere between 35 and 45 total characters and
>spaces. Anything over that and people start to have difficulty. And
>sure--some more than others. Anything less and you start to have trouble
>completing a phrase or thought without using a LOT of lines. In fact, the
>only media that normally does this, is newspapers. The only reason they use
>these narrow columns is to increase flexibility in advertisement placement.

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