LEXICONORDICA 8 - Nordisk Sprogkoordination

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FIGURE 2. The same section from the computerized edition of ÍO
These examples show the difference in presentation between the two
editions, and they pinpoint the problem of space on the printed page,
i.e., the problem of density.
2.2 The problem of space on the screen: The over-large entry
The screen poses a completely different problem from the printed page,
which shows up in the over-large entry. If the problem of the printed
book is condensing the text enough to make the dictionary easy to
handle, the problem of the screen is making the text clear enough not to
overtax the readers’ eyes. To that purpose, the text is distributed on the
screen, using linebreaks, indentation, colours and fonts as needed. The
ideal entry fits one screen or less, as in the noun bein in figure 3, to give
an idea of the amount of information easily handled in this manner. The
size of the window can be varied; this is a simulation for print containing
exactly one screenful from a 17 inch screen.