[extropy-chat] More good stuff from Michael Crichton

[Alfio Puglisi]

On Mon, 5 Jan 2004, Robert J. Bradbury wrote:

>
>On Mon, 5 Jan 2004, Alfio Puglisi wrote:
>
>> I hate
>> reading
>> those
>> narrow
>> columns.
>[snip]
>
>Alfio, I believe that it has been shown that humans
>either read faster and/or have better comprehension with
>narrow columns -- perhaps having to do with the fact
>that the eye may be able to read narrow columns without
>scanning while longer columns require scanning and
>a retrace time to get to the start of the next line
>(like electron guns in TVs).

Maybe, but I feel physically constrained when reading a 2 inches column on
a totally white screen. And I don't detect any better speed, on the
contrary. My eye has already picked up momentum, turning right, and it has
to stop abruptly and go down. Let it flow for a while :)

Alfio