Re:Tall and Narrow
by joebadmo on Tuesday May 24, 2011 @11:32AM
(#2580211)
Information Design: Card stacks create random breaks in the reading flow. The more breaks the more you need to reorient—in other words: Think.
One thing I've found is that in a scrolling interface, I tend to neurotically scroll constantly, keeping my actual reading visual field at the top few lines of the scrolling area. I.e., when I can scroll, I will, constantly.
Card-based, or paginated reading interfaces, on the other hand, allow me to relax because I know I don't have to page over until I hit the bottom of the current page. The constant (very) low-grade anxiety is gone.
Not that that's an overwhelming argument for pagination, but it's not a point I see addressed ever. I agree with most of the other points, e.g. lack of indication of length or place. But they seem pretty easily addressable.
There are compromises, too, like a scrolling interface with a page down mechanism, but I've found that they're not as satisfying as a horizontal pagination.
Part of this might be having grown up with physical media.
Re:Tall and Narrow
by demallien on Tuesday May 24, 2011 @12:06PM
(#2580391)
I do the same thing when using a mouse. Interestingly though, when using a touch interface for the same page, I tend to scroll less often. This includes when I'm using a touch pad for scrolling on a PC.
One thing I've found is that in a scrolling interface, I tend to neurotically scroll constantly, keeping my actual reading visual field at the top few lines of the scrolling area. I.e., when I can scroll, I will, constantly.
Card-based, or paginated reading interfaces, on the other hand, allow me to relax because I know I don't have to page over until I hit the bottom of the current page. The constant (very) low-grade anxiety is gone.
Not that that's an overwhelming argument for pagination, but it's not a point I see addressed ever. I agree with most of the other points, e.g. lack of indication of length or place. But they seem pretty easily addressable.
There are compromises, too, like a scrolling interface with a page down mechanism, but I've found that they're not as satisfying as a horizontal pagination.
Part of this might be having grown up with physical media.