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Subject:Re: Optimal Page Sizes From:Kent Newton <KentN -at- METRIX-INC -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 23 Jan 1996 07:43:00 PST
The size you choose depends on the type of binding you want to use, which
in turn is affected by your system's users, production costs, methods of
distribution, and frequency of updates.
For example, our users are generally IS and Management for field service
companies. They often use the manual in warehouses, shipping/receiving
docks, repair centers, and so on. They need manuals they can lay flat
when they refer to it. Also, we update our manuals frequently (once or
twice a year). To keep costs down, we chose to send updates to the
existing manuals instead of sending completely new manuals. Therefore, we
opted for a standard three-ring binder and a standard 8 1/2 by 11 sheet
size. This is inexpensive and easy to produce and replace. For European
distribution, we print the existing manuals on A4 paper size (with
corresponding A4 binders) without reformatting the documentation; this
minimally changes the size of the margins.
I hope this gives you a few things to consider.
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From: TECHWR-L[SMTP:TECHWR-L -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu]
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 1996 8:17 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L
Subject: Optimal Page Sizes
Jim Giordano of Nashville, TN, has asked me to post the following to the
list. Please cc: him (Giordanoj -at- Delphi -dot- com) in addition to responding to
the
list. I don't recall an earlier thread on the topic, and it's one that I
think is interesting.
We're trying to set a corporate standard for page size for software
documentation. If I look on my book shelf I see user's guides in a wide
variety of sizes. There seems to be no standard. We are considering A5
(common in Europe; we are owned by the French), 8 1/2" x 7" which is a
legal
sheet folded, and the Microsoft size 7 1/2"x9". Any
opinions you'd like to share. Also, are you aware of any usability
research
that talks about page size?