[LINK] Environmental impact of web versus print

[Kim Holburn]

On 2006 Sep 27, at 9:34 AM, Pilcher, Fred wrote:
>>> Long columns reduce readability.
>>
>> That'll be 'wide' columns... Long sentences reduce readability, but
>> this is not the issue here - it is generally accepted that a column
>> width no greater than the number of character in the alphabet is
>> optimal. However, there is a trade-off - this assumes that
>> the reader
>> is not distracted by seeing a narrow column on a wide screen, which
>> reduces readability further. Swings and roundabouts, perception and
>> habit...
>
> Wide, yes. Again, IIRC, the optimum was something like 12 words,  
> again to do with the way our brains and eyes work. If that's right,  
> the width of the screen would seem to be irrelevant.
>
> Personally, I find it incredibly difficult to read an article with  
> embedded animations, just as I find it impossible to watch "news"  
> on the teevee where there's a scrolling message at the bottom of  
> the screen. Those specific distractions weren't mentioned in the  
> research, which certainly predated those particular abominations.

I'd just like to add my comment to that:  
Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrggghhhh!!!!!!  Luckily I have found Firefox with  
"adblock plus" and "Nuke anything enhanced" extensions otherwise I  
wouldn't be able to stand to read most modern newspaper sites.  What  
is it with these single narrow column with animated ads at the side  
pages that are in almost all newspaper sites these days?

--
Kim Holburn
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