Re:Chernobyl's 'stalker' subculture
by boomboomsubban on Sunday July 18, 2021 @04:51PM
(#27876558)
In US school, we were generally required to have a three ring binder every year for class. Like with #2 pencils, we're vaguely aware other types exist but virtually never encounter them.
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And I'd assume they're called "X ring" binders, as opposed to just binders, because "binder" is a fairly generic term.
As for the number of rings: first mover advantage and network effects.
Paper is produced with three rings. Teachers buy three ring hole punches. Soon binder manufacturers target the most common standard. All other standards die off.
I have seen and used four ring binders in America. But three ring was the phrase that jumped out in my head.
The highest form of the art is found in Japan with 20 and 26 ring binders.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41sow2N%2Bi...
The mind boggles.
3 rings: provides redundancy over 2 ring
4 ring: additional stability and redundancy
... 26 ring? At that point, you almost have more hole than paper. Is there a reason?
You have to try it. It is such a joy. The pages turn like butter and never tear out. You can lift the entire binder by a single page. The paper size feels much
more human-scale. I exclusively use J-Binders for my notes.
Re:Chernobyl's 'stalker' subculture
by ASalazarMX on Monday July 19, 2021 @01:51PM
(#27885385)
I'd love to try one of those. Three-ring binders are a chore because the holes are so easy to tear with daily use. Sure, they sell stickers that you put over the teared holes to repair them, but why not redesign the binders in the first place?
Exactly. The fact that “reinforcements” exist proves that the manufacturers know that the product design is bogus.
Re:Chernobyl's 'stalker' subculture
by boomboomsubban on Tuesday July 20, 2021 @05:35PM
(#27899685)
I think rings are kept to a minimum as evenly punching twenty holes in twenty sheets of paper at once would be difficult.
Re:Chernobyl's 'stalker' subculture
by roywashere on Monday July 19, 2021 @02:50AM
(#27879911)
In The Netherlands, in schools 23-ring-binders are quite heavily used. In office environments it is mostly 2- or 4. The nice thing is that they are compatible: if you have 23-ring-paper or 4-ring it will fit in 2 or 4 ring binders. This does not work the other way around for obvious reasons.