mark (21st October 2008)

Assuming it is something you need to absorb rather than skim, do you prefer to read from a hard copy or straight from the screen?
I find it difficult to read from the screen and much prefer it in print.

yeh me too. when i did my dissertation i printed out every single journal article i read. single handedly destroyed a rainforest that year.
Hard Copy for me. Screen if it's only a quick reference check.

screen all the way.
If not on the laptop then on my HTC touch. Personally I've never had a problem with reading from a screen, and haven't printed out anything personally in years (you know, unless someone else HAD to have a paper copy....)
Although I spend all my life looking at a screen, I can only really take things in if it's a hard copy.
Saves the eyes, and all that.
It's just all to do with comfort with me, large amounts of text mean Im not moving the mouse very much or using the keyboard. It's hard to sit at a desk comfortably still for long periods of time. I'd much rather get in a comfortable position and read properly without being distracted by the aches and pains that kick in sitting at a desk. It's really not a screen problem, I just can't get comfortable at a desk being a "tallie".
I need a new invention!
Screen for me, if I could get Top Gear Mag in PDF I would be a happy chappy!!
It bothers me that someone will get an email and then print it out for me to read....![]()

How do I prefer to read a document?
Sitting in a chair with a cup of tea and a bar of chocolate!!
mark (21st October 2008)

Screen - on my pda. Much less unwieldy than paper and easier on the eyes than a normal screen. If I can't convert the doc to .pdb, then paper unless it's a short doc.
lol @ witch
I always say paper for proof reading - but maybe it's just the fact that it's a different format that gives you a fresh perspective.
Also, reading a lot, staring at a screen gives you a headache/ strained eyes. It just isn't so comfortable. Maybe that's the technology that just isn't quite right yet.
And why are new monitors made to display such high res that makes the text tiny. Then when you set it to a readable size it just isn't sharp? Bugs me!Damn PC's built for gamers!!
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ditto Witch, sitting comfortably with a cuppa. I am also destroying a small forest whilst studying, the screen is no place to be making margin notes.
On the screen, always have.
The only time I print is when something if finished, it hate it when people print out emails to give to me etc.
Not that I care about the environment of anything - it's mainly that a piece of paper can get lots / spilled on / scrunched up / put at the bottom of a pile and so forth. When it's on the screen, it's there, and you read it as it's right in front of you.

@witch
paper definitely for reading... when I really need to abosrb a long document... chocolate and tea sound an excellent addition... although I'm not averse to a glass of red wine to help concentration. (More than one can ruin the affect!)
I've been using my MSI Wind (held like a book) for reading a lot of stuff lately, but for proper reading you can't beat paper.

Both to be honest.
If the document is large (currently reading report on ict education which is good 150 pages long) that is printed (but with a electronic version as well) but shorter things I will just use screen.
Russ
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