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Why do cooking instructions need to be so small?

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by SlickRCBD, Mar 2, 2025 at 8:54 AM.

  1. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
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    Remove all ads!
    I thought it was just my eyesight going since I'm over 45 (just turned 46 last month!) when reading cooking instructions on packages, but I just noticed an old chart I printed 36 years ago with AppleWorks 2.1 listing the built-in font sizes the ImageWriter II printer supported, and the text on Knorrs packages (and many other food products) is smaller than the smallest the ImageWriter II printer can print due to only being a 9-pin dot matrix.
    I just noticed on the photo that it looks about the same size because of perspective with the Knorrs packet being closer than the text in the background, but it's actually smaller than 17 characters per inch/8 lines per inch.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Why do the instructions have to be so small? What's wrong with 10 chracters per inch and 6 lines per inch, or a 10 point font? Why does it need to be a 4-5 point font?
     
    SlickRCBD, Mar 2, 2025 at 8:54 AM
    #1
  2. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Not enough space for larger font on the packaging, I expect.
     
    Taluntain, Mar 2, 2025 at 5:02 PM
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  3. Sorvo

    Sorvo Where's the nearest pub? Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    You're eyesight probably is going bad just like mine has over the past 10 years. Just one more reason to see a doctor :mad: :beer:
     
    Sorvo, Mar 2, 2025 at 11:17 PM
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  4. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
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    I thought I was going nuts because I was struggling to read the cooking instructions with my glasses and needed a magnifying glass, then I realized the font really was that small, smaller than my first printer could print.
     
    SlickRCBD, Mar 3, 2025 at 4:28 AM
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  5. Keneth Gems: 29/31
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    That's not really saying much when your first printer was a dude writing cuneiform on a stone tablet. :p
     
    Keneth, Mar 3, 2025 at 6:57 AM
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  6. Sorvo

    Sorvo Where's the nearest pub? Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    Don't get cocky Kenny, you're on the over the hill train too :p :beer:
     
    Sorvo, Mar 3, 2025 at 7:06 AM
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  7. Keneth Gems: 29/31
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    I'll meet you there in like 200 years. :lol:
     
    Keneth, Mar 3, 2025 at 7:19 AM
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  8. Sorvo

    Sorvo Where's the nearest pub? Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    Laugh it up funny boy, it strikes quicker than you think :beer:
     
    Sorvo, Mar 3, 2025 at 7:20 AM
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