Are margins an issue?

GA Russell · 08-21-2009, 02:47 PM

I notice that many of the eInk screens have text filling up the screen from the far left to the far right.

I wonder if the absence of left and right margins causes difficulty in reading the text.

Perhaps the frame of the unit makes up for that.

Perhaps the frame of white units is more effective in that regard than other colors are.

Do those of you who already have an eBook reader have an opinion on this?

HarryT · 08-21-2009, 03:03 PM

In most cases, the creator of the book can control the size of the margins, but with a small screen, it's just a waste of space to have the size of margin that you have in a printed book. I find personally that a margin of a few mm is entirely adequate.

emellaich · 08-21-2009, 05:36 PM

The Kindle has left/right margins headers and footers on its books. As a result, I would say that a Kindle page appears prettier than a similar all text, no margin page on other readers.

However, I am personally more concerned with functionality than I am with prettiness. Those margins reduce the usable area on my 6 inch Kindle to smaller than the area on a 5 inch screen -- that's a reduction of 30% or so in square inches!!

While I am highly satisfied with my Kindle2 and would recommend it if you are in the U.S., its overly generous margins are one of my dislikes. I am buying a pocketpro for my son as the second reader in our family, and one of the things I like about it is the no margin approach that is similar to what I am used to from pda's and other reading devices.

08-21-2009, 02:47 PM	#1
GA Russell It's Argos vs. Bombers! Posts: 7,633 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Are margins an issue? I notice that many of the eInk screens have text filling up the screen from the far left to the far right. I wonder if the absence of left and right margins causes difficulty in reading the text. Perhaps the frame of the unit makes up for that. Perhaps the frame of white units is more effective in that regard than other colors are. Do those of you who already have an eBook reader have an opinion on this?

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08-21-2009, 03:03 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	In most cases, the creator of the book can control the size of the margins, but with a small screen, it's just a waste of space to have the size of margin that you have in a printed book. I find personally that a margin of a few mm is entirely adequate.

08-21-2009, 05:36 PM	#3
emellaich Wizard Posts: 1,101 Karma: 4388403 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis	The Kindle has left/right margins headers and footers on its books. As a result, I would say that a Kindle page appears prettier than a similar all text, no margin page on other readers. However, I am personally more concerned with functionality than I am with prettiness. Those margins reduce the usable area on my 6 inch Kindle to smaller than the area on a 5 inch screen -- that's a reduction of 30% or so in square inches!! While I am highly satisfied with my Kindle2 and would recommend it if you are in the U.S., its overly generous margins are one of my dislikes. I am buying a pocketpro for my son as the second reader in our family, and one of the things I like about it is the no margin approach that is similar to what I am used to from pda's and other reading devices.

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