nick blackbournOur time is increasingly being spent in front of a computer screen. Transitioning to a fully paperless setup may require some changes to efficient working means. Nick Blackbournprovides communication for setting up your calculator for heavy duty on-screen reading. He offers tips here on how to cutting out the fluff and focus on core texts, navigate PDFs, and reduce centre strain from screen glare.

computer_monitor_bookI try to read on-screen as much as possible. Why? Because notes typed on-screen tin can exist searched for later, marker/highlighting tin can exist saved, and it makes keeping track of what I've read and and so retrieving it again much, much easier. Switching to reading on-screen is not initially equally easy or comfortable as reading on paper. Paper is 'real,' yous can marker it anyhow you like, at that place'southward no calculator related eye-strain, all you lot need to do is option upwards a book or press print and you're ready to go.

Setting up your computer for heavy duty on-screen reading is not every bit uncomplicated. (What software to apply? How to deal with the pdfs? Can I reduce heart strain?) However, with a piffling setup and using by and large freeware or open up-source software, information technology'due south quite easy to get paperless and reap the rewards of on-screen reading. Here are some tips and techniques I've constitute to be useful:

Pocket / Instapaper / Readability:

Reading webpages without all the imprint ads and other distractions makes information technology a lot easier to get through web text. All these services do this, stripping out the fluff and leaving merely the core text. I use Pocket, which syncs beyond the web, my Mac, and my Android phone. I effort not to procrastinate (too much) with long-class reading throughout the 24-hour interval, so these services are too a proficient way to 'save upward' reading for later.

Starting time using Pocket hither: http://getpocket.com/
Start using Instapaper here: http://www.instapaper.com/
Get-go using Readability here: http://readability.com/

Employ Skim to read PDF Files:

A large chunk of academic reading is of pdf journal articles. I use the open-source software 'Skim' to make sense of them. Skim lets y'all highlight and brand notes direct within the pdf file, which means you lot make the article your own and don't lose rails of your notes or markings. I find that it's much more than useful to have that 1 hands retrievable annotated pdf file on the calculator. The article and my notes are all saved in just i identify.

Skim is available for free hither: http://skim-app.sourceforge.net/
PDF Xchange Viewer is Windows compatible and is available for free here: http://pdf-xchange-viewer.en.softonic.com/

Avoid Scrolling:

I previously used the tool that automatically scrolls down the page at a dull speed. This seemed fantastic: 'No more page turns,' I thought, 'I can read forever!'. The reality: I could just read for half an hour before my optics began to sting. Rather than continuously scrolling, I now use the folio downward fundamental; information technology means your eyes don't accept to continuously readjust to the moving text.

Automatically Accommodate Screen Settings with Flux:

Flux is a fleck of freeware that alters the screen lighting on your computer, shifting the colour based on the time of day. It'south brighter when the sun is out and automatically changes when it gets darker. I observe it helps reduce the eye strain from screen glare that sometimes comes with reading in the dark.

Flux is available for free here: http://stereopsis.com/flux/

Zoom In and Utilize the Biggest Font You Can:

Reading a big font is more comfortable than reading a small font. Obvious, right? There'south no reason to be squinting to read spider web text on your screen. It is very easy in near browsers to modify text size, commonly with an easy shortcut. I employ Chrome and the shortcut "Command & +/-" to increase and decrease font size as needed.

When reading a pdf, zoom in. If yous're using a small-scale laptop with little screen space, consider getting a 2nd monitor. I have a cheap second monitor I apply aslope my laptop that'south been extremely useful and worth every penny.

Resize the Window:

Besides equally zooming in and out to adjust text size, you should adapt the actual window size too. This fashion you aren't scanning across the whole width of the screen, which invites middle strain. It'due south easier on your optics to brand the window narrow and allows your eyes less lateral movement. I utilise the Kindle app on the computer fairly oft and information technology lets me manipulate the window size very easily. I similar a narrow, single column format on a sepia background.

Any Others?

I've listed just a few simple things to do / tools to use that make reading on the screen that much easier. I'd love to hear your own tools and tips in the comments:

How to Brand Reading on Your Computer a Amend Experience
Computer Eye Strain: 10 Steps for Relief

This article was originally published on Nick Blackbourn's blog.

Note: This article gives the views of the writer, and non the position of the Impact of Social Scientific discipline blog, nor of the London School of Economics.

About the author

Nick Blackbourn is a Writer, Historian, & PhD candidate at the University of St Andrews.

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