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Subject:Re: Left vs Full Justification -Reply From:David Hailey <FAHAILEY -at- WPO -dot- HASS -dot- USU -dot- EDU> Date:Thu, 16 May 1996 12:26:59 -0600
I'm trying to remember where I read the documentation on justification
and column lengths and so forth.
If I recall correctly, left justified was long preferred over full justification
because of the "rivers" that full justification placed in the text. Recently, I
read an article (the one I'm trying to remember) that argued that from the
point of view of reader, given typesetting technology, there is no longer
a difference. Assuming good typesetting, choice should be based on the
nature of the publication and aesthetic issues rather than readability.
I have also read that the point of diminishing returns vis a vis width is
supposed to be approximately fifty characters. Obviously, ten
characters is too short for most purposes and 100 to long.
Still, cogito ergo falsus sum.
Dave Hailey
Assistant Professor
Professional Writing/Hypermedia
Utah State University
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