From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!alice!rabbit!jj
Newsgroups: net.flame
Title: Re: small is better
Article-I.D.: rabbit.1158
Posted: Thu Feb 24 11:18:29 1983
Received: Fri Feb 25 04:43:51 1983
References: rlgvax.1073

	I must disagree both on practical and theoretical grounds with the
statement that better readers are less inconvenienced by a lack of punctuation.
I am a self taught speed reader, (about 1300 wpm, 85-90% retention), and
I find the lack of punctuation quite annoying, since I apparently use
the punctuation (including capitalization) as cues that signal ends of
sentences, etc.  I find the lack of spaces between sentences just as annoying,
since, when both are missing, one has to search out the end of the 
sentence in order to find out where to separate ideas.    
	On theoretical grounds, I argue that capitalization, punctuation,
and proper spacing are part of the language, and are used by properly educated
individuals to provide part of the 'decoding' information, as well as part
of the logical information (proper names, double quotes, and such).   While
I do shrink a little at the phrase 'properly educated', I do feel that a
good education will lead to at least an understanding of the PURPOSES of
punctuation, if not the precisely proper use, and by this lead to a
desirable increase in both the readability and redundancy of the text.
	In the information-theoretical sense, I argue that punctuation
provides information of two types, necessary (which is to say,
not redundant, and required for proper transmission of the writer's
idea), and redundant (in the sense that the information can be
decoded from the unpunctuated text WITH EFFORT).  Since in some cases,
information is lost, and in others the decoding algorithm becomes quite less
efficient, the lack (and to a lesser extent misuse) is undesirable.
	I  should point out that a study of the various methods used by GOOD
readers would certainly lead to the discovery that every subject's 
method of decoding is different, so I would like to ask that readers
bear in mind that all individuals are not the same, and a simple statement
of "That's the way that I read", or "That's NOT the way that I read", without
discussion is therefore quite useless.   Punctuation and capitalization
(I name both since they have become separated in the course of this
netnews discussion) are both conventions (as well as courtesies) that are
intended to make the transfer of information more efficient.  (I grant you
that good spelling is also such a convention, but some of us have little
skill at such.)   
	I think that both are part of the language,
should remain part of the language, and that the failure to use
them (or at least attempt to use them) means that the write is
deliberately NOT using the language.  While I do not make a
blanket statement about not reading articles with no capitalized words,
etc, I will certainly be biased against such articles without having
evaluated the subject material.  
	If you, the writer, want to affect my perceptions of the world,
opinions, or considerations, you are placing yourself at a significant
competetive disadvantage by completely flouting conventions.  
(I certainly do not hold casual mistakes against any writer.)

Cheers,

rabbit!jj