Wall of text
Dear online citizens,
Stop calling every long document a "wall of text"! While being long is often a factor, the point is the lack of paragraph breaks. All of the sentences are in a single paragraph. A wall of text looks like - get this - a wall!
The phrase is for describing writers who do not take the time to properly format their work. It is not about catering to people who can't be bothered to read.
Stop calling every long document a "wall of text"! While being long is often a factor, the point is the lack of paragraph breaks. All of the sentences are in a single paragraph. A wall of text looks like - get this - a wall!
The phrase is for describing writers who do not take the time to properly format their work. It is not about catering to people who can't be bothered to read.
Posted by ACWraith on Sunday, August 30, 2009 10:24AM
- 6 comments
(link)
/
Keywords:
computer
Login to post a comment.
#6 Foomer:
A wall of text could also be an endless series of long paragraphs like something you'd get out of the Random Complaint Letter Generator. Such a huge series of paragraphs can benefit from being broken up by bullet lists, screenshots, blockquoted text and subheadings. Things which catch the reader's eye.
Its funny, but the same concepts are applied to landscaping. If you have a building, and one whole side of the building is just a long wall with no windows, its important in to place trees or tall bushes strategically along that wall in order to break it up.
As for that GameSetWatch article, I think it could have benefited from some subheadings and/or pictures which filled the width of the column. Anything that lets the reader stop and take a breath while digesting what they just read.
Look at Data's article, for example. The subheadings make it manageable.
Sunday, August 30, 2009 04:29PM
(Edited on Sunday, August 30, 2009 04:46PM)
#5 ACWraith:
@IainPeregrine: I have not been collecting random links to things that annoy me, but this comment on a GameSetWatch article caught my eye a few minutes before blogging. Here are some self-depreciating BYOND examples that don't require finger-pointing at trolls: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
@OrdinaryOrangutan: tl;dr means Too Long; Didn't Read. It's the proper response to a long document... Well, in that it's descriptive. It tends to be used for trolling so it's not exactly welcome. ;)
Sunday, August 30, 2009 01:37PM
#4 OrdinaryOrangutan:
I'm guessing someone considered one of your post a "wall of text"? That's quite sad, I've enjoy your material and usually wish it was a bit longer. People need to learn what phrases mean before the use them.
By the way, what does tl;dr mean?
Sunday, August 30, 2009 12:55PM
#3 IainPeregrine:
Examples (of people misusing the phrase) please.
Sunday, August 30, 2009 12:39PM
#2 Destiny J.:
You enter the room.
There is a Wall of Text here. Read? (Y/N)
N
You exit the room.
Sunday, August 30, 2009 11:20AM
#1 ACWraith:
tl;dr
Sunday, August 30, 2009 10:24AM