Tabs or White Space?

anamardoll · 06-08-2011, 02:07 PM

When you're reading on your eReader, do you prefer to see tab-indented paragraphs or a double-return white space between paragraphs?

Quote:

Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the

bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the
book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in
it, 'and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice 'without pictures or
conversation?'

So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for

the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure
of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and
picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran
close by her.

Quote:

Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the
bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the
book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in
it, 'and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice 'without pictures or
conversation?'

So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for
the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure
of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and
picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran
close by her.

Giggleton · 06-08-2011, 02:15 PM

I've been going back and forth about this lately, (I actually will read half of a book in one style and then reformat the book to the other style and finish the book) so I can't vote on your poll

I think whether or not the book is fiction or non-fiction carries some weight towards my preference though.

Sweetpea · 06-08-2011, 02:21 PM

Tab-indented. Dubble return white space is for a scene change.

DiapDealer · 06-08-2011, 02:22 PM

I like a 1-1.5 em paragraph indent and an ever so slightly larger than normal (but not a whole blank line) space between paragraphs (about a .3em margin-top). It just looks nice to me on a six-inch screen. Not that I'm picky or anything.

John F · 06-08-2011, 02:29 PM

Both.

anamardoll · 06-08-2011, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

Both.

I guess I should have added that option.

Where is the moderator with the scary clown face avatar?

JuniperPearl · 06-08-2011, 02:31 PM

I prefer tabs. White space tend to imply a change of scene to me.

AlbertaCowboy · 06-08-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

Both.

+1

I'll always reformat a book to be 0.5em indented with spacing in between paragraphs.

sakura-panda · 06-08-2011, 02:42 PM

No preference (and no poll option.

)

speakingtohe · 06-08-2011, 03:04 PM

I am an extremist on the white space thing for ebooks.
I just won't read an ebook that is formatted with indents only.
Much easier (for me) to read and generally I can tell by what is written whether the scene has changed or not.

I am happy to see that white space with no indents is rapidly becoming more common.

Helen

elemenoP · 06-08-2011, 03:24 PM

Both but only half a line space between paragraphs.

eP

Pomtroll · 06-08-2011, 04:16 PM

I kind of like the double spacing between paragraphs with no indenting. That is how I type on post. But either is fine with me.

HarryT · 06-08-2011, 04:17 PM

Tabs are white space, but if you're asking whether people prefer indented or space-separated paragraphs, this has been discussed ad nausiam in the past; it might be better to re-read some of those old threads rather than re-hash it all yet again?

Penforhire · 06-08-2011, 04:36 PM

I read your first example (tabbed) slower. Not enough visual separation between the paragraphs for my taste.

anamardoll · 06-08-2011, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Tabs are white space, but if you're asking whether people prefer indented or space-separated paragraphs, this has been discussed ad nausiam in the past; it might be better to re-read some of those old threads rather than re-hash it all yet again?

Sorry, I thought it would be a nice break from the copyright/piracy threads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

I read your first example (tabbed) slower. Not enough visual separation between the paragraphs for my taste.

For me, it's the same - the extra white space between the paragraphs lets me read faster. I wonder why that is.

View Poll Results: Tabs or White Space?
Tabs	51	57.95%
White Space	37	42.05%
Voters: 88. You may not vote on this poll

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06-08-2011, 02:15 PM	#2
Giggleton Banned Posts: 1,687 Karma: 4368191 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oregon Device: Kindle3	I've been going back and forth about this lately, (I actually will read half of a book in one style and then reformat the book to the other style and finish the book) so I can't vote on your poll I think whether or not the book is fiction or non-fiction carries some weight towards my preference though.

06-08-2011, 02:21 PM	#3
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Tab-indented. Dubble return white space is for a scene change.

06-08-2011, 02:22 PM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,882 Karma: 207000000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I like a 1-1.5 em paragraph indent and an ever so slightly larger than normal (but not a whole blank line) space between paragraphs (about a .3em margin-top). It just looks nice to me on a six-inch screen. Not that I'm picky or anything.

06-08-2011, 02:29 PM	#5
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,005 Karma: 71261339 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Clara 2E	Both.

06-08-2011, 02:31 PM	#7
JuniperPearl Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New York Device: Sony PRS-505, Kindle 2, Kindle Fire, iPhone 5, Kindle Voyage	I prefer tabs. White space tend to imply a change of scene to me.

06-08-2011, 02:42 PM	#9
sakura-panda Guru Posts: 939 Karma: 9558874 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Michigan, USA Device: Kindle Oasis; 11" iPad Pro (Books, Kindle, Kobo, MapleRead SE)	No preference (and no poll option. )

06-08-2011, 03:04 PM	#10
speakingtohe Wizard Posts: 4,812 Karma: 26912940 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet	I am an extremist on the white space thing for ebooks. I just won't read an ebook that is formatted with indents only. Much easier (for me) to read and generally I can tell by what is written whether the scene has changed or not. I am happy to see that white space with no indents is rapidly becoming more common. Helen

06-08-2011, 03:24 PM	#11
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Both but only half a line space between paragraphs. eP

06-08-2011, 04:16 PM	#12
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	I kind of like the double spacing between paragraphs with no indenting. That is how I type on post. But either is fine with me.

06-08-2011, 04:17 PM	#13
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Tabs are white space, but if you're asking whether people prefer indented or space-separated paragraphs, this has been discussed ad nausiam in the past; it might be better to re-read some of those old threads rather than re-hash it all yet again?

06-08-2011, 04:36 PM	#14
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I read your first example (tabbed) slower. Not enough visual separation between the paragraphs for my taste.