Re: Paper size

On Thu, 2 May 2002, Pablo Saratxaga wrote:
> > ...Paper size is basically arbitrary...
> 
> The size, yes, but the ratio between the different sizes is not.
> It is a *very* nice feature, I use it all the time to print two pages
> into a single paper sheet, and then saving in paper costs.

North Americans do that too.  It's not quite as convenient, because the
reduction has to be a bit greater and there's wasted space along one long
edge -- although some of that may be desirable for binding -- but it's
perfectly workable.  With modern printing and copying technology, where
you can do a 64.7% reduction as easily as any other, the advantage from
having the paper size in exactly the right ratio is slight.  Not zero, but
not very important in practice.

> > It might actually be easier to sell a proposal that *everybody* switch to
> > a set of sizes based on PA4.
> 
> As PA4 doesn't have the nice property of the geometric relationship
> between paper sizes there is no chance at all any country currently using
> A4 will switch to it.

That does make a very convenient excuse for insisting that the other guys
incur all the pain of conversion.  Unfortunately, this does *not* help in
selling the idea, which was exactly my point. 

                                                          Henry Spencer
                                                       henry@xxxxxxxxxxxxx