Two-column format

[Daniel Strychalski <dski -at- CAMEONET -dot- CAMEO -dot- COM -dot- TW>]

Two messages saying that columns don't save space are quoted below. The first
is 15 lines without columns (not shown here) and 14 lines with; the second is
32 lines without columns (again, not shown) and 30 lines with. Same margins,
same font. These are the only ones I tried. Having worked with columns, I was
quite sure what the results would be.
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Actually, such a question is not only  | Are you thinking of adopting a two
appropriate but, in the present        | column format just to save space? If
politically-charged climate on the     | that's the case, I would suggest
list, is a refreshing change of pace.  | reducing point size and inter-
:)                                     | paragraph spacing, and experimenting
                                       | with margin widths. But unless
In my experience, a two column format  | absolutely necessary, don't try to
doesn't take up much space more or     | cram as much text as possible onto
less than a single column. It just     | your pages. You might save some
breaks up the page and can make it     | copying costs, but you'll reduce the
more difficult to read. For a          | effectiveness of your document.
newspaper or magazine, such a format   | Remember, white space is your friend.
is acceptable, but I wouldn't use it   | :)
for a proposal.                        |
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Kathleen Kuvinka asked if a two-column | more than about 5 inches.  So readers
format saved space over a one-column   | will find themselves reading the same
format.                                | line twice, or skipping a line.
                                       |
No, because you sacrifice the space    | As a reader, I find it equally
between the columns. And if the        | disconcerting to have to jump a line
columns are right-justified, you       | every few words (i.e., a very narrow
sacrifice more space justifying two    | column).  As a writer, I do not like
narrower columns than you would        | to see a thought I put effort into
justifying one wider column.           | phrasing, being chopped up into a
                                       | bunch of short lines... because I know
But -- and this is a big but -- please | the reader will have more trouble with
don't select a number of columns based | it. By the same token, when writing
on saving space.  (To explain:  take   | phrases meant to capture attention,
the space-saving directive to its      | convey a topic at a glance, etc., I
logical extreme and you have a solid   | appreciate a short line, preferably
page of text...that no one would       | with white space around it or perhaps
read!)                                 | some other appropriate design element
                                       | nearby.
In the paper publishing world --       |
books, from which so many of our       | (I don't know what sort of document
well-tested and reliable rules of      | you're designing, but...)  To help you
thumb derive -- the maximum column     | with the others you mentioned who also
width is considered 28 picas, 30 if    | have a part in this decision, I would
pressed.  A pica is about 1/6 inch, so | emphasize that number of columns is
this is a bit less than 5 inches.  The | only one part of design.  Start with a
reason is that the eye, when moving    | design that will convey this
from the right-end of one line to the  | particular information best to these
left-start of the next, will start     | particular users; let the number of
missing its target after traveling     | columns be whatever they be.
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         Quoted and reformatted by Dan Strychalski (dski -at- cameonet -dot- cameo -dot- com -dot- tw)