Phone number visual styling Aug02 '05
A phone number has a visual appearance, which should be taken into account, for every listing on a web page, or document.
There are few different forms that phone numbers take. It all depends on the person typing.
There’s the "classic:"
(123) 456-7890
...the "futuristic:"
123.456.7890
...and the "lazy:"
123-456-7890
Personally, I always use the "classic." The mix of parenthesis, a space, and a dash, make for a distinct, visual item. Visually, I can immediately separate the area code from the actual 7-digit number. And the dash balances the 3-digit side, with the 4-digit side.
Both the "futuristic," and the "lazy," I can’t stand.
The "period," or "dot," which separates the "futuristic" is an attempt to look "cool." It’s like saying, "Hey, we don’t need dashes or parenthesis - we can use dots."
And the double dashes in the "lazy" are just a sign of complete laziness. There is no "balance" with this form - it’s all a complete "run on."
One is the loneliest number
But what about an "800 number?" Typically, a "1" is included at the very beginning, just to be absolutely clear, to the consumer.
In this case, my preferred format doesn’t look too good:
1 (800) 456-7890
Actually, it looks awful. The two spaces make for too much white space, and the "1" seems to be floating off the left edge.
To improve the situation, add a plus (+) sign, before the "1":
+1 (800) 456-7890
This provides some more balance on the left side, and introduces a new character, which is appealing to the eyes. (Too much of the same character is bad.)
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Hee... guess I'm too nit-picky about it. Personally, I hate phone numbers - they're like IP addresses - who remembers a random string of nu ... Read more.
Now that I look, I prefer the 'classic' as well. What do you think about international number formatting? ... Read more.
You folks need to get a life. Do you also have discussions about the visual appeal of perforation placement on postage stamps? ... Read more.
I prefer a left-sided perforation placement on a postage stamp. ;-) ... Read more.
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Hmm, I would say the 987.654.3210 is the lazy form, since it's easier to reach the period on the keyboard than either the hyphen or parentheses. I ... Read more.