Welcome!

[WolfieZero]

Interesting thought was proposed to me at work today regarding alpbetical lists and deviding them into columns

I personally organise them using the left-right rule, for example;
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9

I've it like this for a number of reasons
1. Its easier to code
2. I personally find it easier to read left-right when looking at such lists (as it means I scroll down once rather than having to scroll down and up to look at the whole list)
3. Just how I've been taught to do lists in design unless they are being grouped in a particular way

But I was ask to make it go in a up-down fasion;
1 4 7
2 5 8
3 6 9

To me I find it a little more odd to read and annoying, but alas, the user prefer this (as it's a custom admin panel, there was no real need to argue otherwise or look deeper into it).

I'm just wondering what, when given a free choice to do a list, do you use and why? Also, is there any write-ups on this subject matter?

[Adam Sheridan]

Personally I find it really odd to read alphabetical lists from left to right, I don't know if I'm in the minority here though.

I am from the UK, so I do naturally read left to right, but lists seem to me to be the exception to the rule. I do feel that ordered lists should be from top to bottom.

Maybe the feedback provided in this topic would help you make the decision on the 'proper' format for lists!

Adam

[scotthoff]

Doesn't look like the actual question has been answered yet. I too would really like to know what to do with this. I tend to have to create two or 3 different lists (depending on how many columns I want) so that I can achieve the effect he described here.

the issue is that it's much easier to do:

Code: Select all

li {
float:left;
width:200px;
display:block;
}


but that gives you

1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9

which for many, self included, is harder to read/annoying... believe it or not