2 ms·
Every number is arbitrary. 80 is often used simply because it's in the right ballpark and already used by many who agree on short lines. People who like long l
by xdennis 5y ago
Every number is arbitrary. 80 is often used simply because it's in the right ballpark and already used by many who agree on short lines.
People who like long lines have no main limit they agree on and if a line limit does exist, it often varies by project... making it even more arbitrary.
- danachow 5y agoThe main argument is that it’s not in the right ballpark though - which has no universal correct answer. However at this point 80 is not arbitrary - It’s primarily used as a default because of ancient history when 4k let alone 640k was enough for everybody. A time when the expense of expanding a meager terminal buffer 50% was hundreds of dollars - and this goes back to ancient history of 80 column punchcards.