{"id":216875,"date":"2026-04-13T04:09:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T04:09:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/you-are-most-likely-right\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T04:09:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T04:09:16","slug":"you-are-most-likely-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/you-are-most-likely-right\/","title":{"rendered":"You Are Most Likely Right"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The platform of newsletters<\/em> Substack has launched this week the possibility of modifying the text alignment in posts, allowing your users to right justify<\/a>. Many will have embraced this option, as perfectly aligned columns seem more professional and literary. However, this aesthetic appeal has deeper implications that often compromise readability.<\/p>\n

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Why We Prefer Justified Text<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s a psychological inclination toward equal margins, creating a clean, rectangular silhouette. This contrasts with left-aligned text, where the right edge ends irregularly based on the last word of the line. Justified text conveys a sense of order and control, making content appear meticulously crafted.<\/p>\n

The Downside of Justification<\/h2>\n

On digital screens, justification often hinders readability. This phenomenon is tied to what typographers call “typographic rivers.” When a system stretches lines to justify text, it widens the spacing between words unevenly, resulting in stripes of white space that disrupt the flow. These visually distracting gaps can exhaust the reader\u2019s cognitive capacity.<\/p>\n

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Understanding Our Reading Process<\/h2>\n

Our eyes do not glide smoothly over text; they make rapid jumps, or “saccades,” typically scanning 7 to 9 characters at a time, followed by brief pauses to process information. This jumping means that an irregular right margin actually aids in reading, serving as a visual anchor. When lines are perfectly justified, however, the uniformity reduces the visual cues the eye relies on for navigation, making the reading process more laborious.<\/p>\n

Challenges for Dyslexic Readers<\/h3>\n

For individuals with dyslexia, the problematic typographical rivers further complicate reading. Studies indicate that dyslexic readers employ different visual strategies, requiring longer fixations and shorter jumps, which makes reading more challenging. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1)<\/a> recommend avoiding justified text to enhance accessibility because of these difficulties.<\/p>\n

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Historical Context of Justification<\/h2>\n

Justified text emerged from a unique historical context\u2014Gutenberg’s ambition to make printed text indistinguishable from handwritten works. To achieve this, he designed variants of characters to ensure that lines filled the entire width of the type case. This approach helped printed materials gain the authority that handwritten texts traditionally held.<\/p>\n

The Craft of Justification<\/h2>\n

For centuries, justifying text was considered an art form. Printers meticulously adjusted kerning, line-spacing, and more to create professionally justified text. However, the advent of digital word processors, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, democratized this skill. Users could now click a button to justify text, often without understanding the nuanced adjustments required to do so effectively. The result? Frequently grotesque spaces between words that can be visually jarring.<\/p>\n

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The Transition to the Digital Age<\/h2>\n

Modern web platforms inherited this habit of justifying text. As the Web Style Guide<\/em><\/a> notes, browsers attempt to justify text through rough spacings that lack the precision once afforded by skilled typesetting. Unlike physical books, where editors control a myriad of factors, online text justification often leads to chaotic layouts that are visually displeasing.<\/p>\n

Substack’s New Feature: A Double-Edged Sword<\/h3>\n

Substack may have gone too far by offering users the ability to justify text without providing the necessary tools for effective formatting. What looks tidy on a large monitor can devolve into a chaotic experience on mobile devices, where short lines and excessive white space disrupt the reading experience significantly. In summary, while justified text may seem appealing, understanding its complexities is critical for anyone aiming to create readable, engaging content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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General News – 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The platform of newsletters Substack has launched this week the possibility of modifying the text alignment in posts, allowing your users to right justify. Many will have embraced this option, as perfectly aligned columns seem more professional and literary. However, this aesthetic appeal has deeper implications that often compromise readability. Why We Prefer Justified Text […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":216876,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-216875","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216875","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=216875"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216875\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":216877,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216875\/revisions\/216877"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/216876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=216875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=216875"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=216875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}