[thelist] optimal line length

[Mike Migurski]

>> "What can we conclude when users are reading prose text from
>> monitors? Users tend to read faster if the line lengths are longer
>> (up to 10 inches). If the line lengths are too short (2.5 inches or
>> less) it may impede rapid reading. Finally, users tend to prefer
>> lines that are moderately long (4 to 5 inches)."
>
>inches are a bad way to measure something on screen. on the other hand if
>he is taking into account the fact that a larger screen with a higher
>resolution will contain more words per inch than a contrary setup... then
>maybe i can handle it.

I'm curious why he didn't publish the result in degrees of retinal angle,
and didn't specify a related text size (yielding words-per-line, the
typical way to measure column width)  ... my dad and I had a lively debate
(we're dorks) about the relative merits of larger screens at longer
distances - he maintains that when keeping a constant retinal size, a
bigger, more distant screen is more relaxing and legible, while I think
that it's better to have one about book-length from your face.

discuss.

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michal migurski- contact info and pgp key:
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                "Freedom! Horrible, horrible freedom!"