Lead is Dead copyright 2023 Earl Kallemeyn

End-of-line decisions

The choices of how and when to begin each new line of type in a book makes the lines and pages of that book rather better or worse. The fact that these choices cannot be made today using Adobe InDesign gives us books that are poorer than they used to be. In order to avoid the worst results of the bad end-of-line decisions caused by software algorithms, line lengths have been made too long, or the problem has been avoided with ragged-right setting. What could be a lively complement to mindful, intelligent thought–that is, a well-spaced page of type–is now rather boring lines that become boring pages, articles and books.

Lead is Dead copyright 2023 Earl Kallemeyn