On: At M.I.T., Large Lectures Are Going the Way of the...

[RK]

As a slight thread hijack, which do you prefer, blackboards or whiteboards?

The physicists and mathematicians I know seem to universally prefer blackboards, while everyone else seems to like whiteboards.

I like whiteboards for any semi-permanent or "data-rich" writing (i.e. multi-color), but probably prefer blackboards for intense computation.

[noro → RK]

blackboards are much better:

* easier to erase

* easier to clean board and erasers

* chalk is cleaner, cheaper, more expressive, less wasteful (no plastic), and there are generally more colors available

* chalk stays at full "marking capacity" until it runs out. Dry-erase markers make you write at less than full contrast for a long while until you toss them.

* chalk dust is no problem if you have windows you can open a little

* sounds better when you use it. :)

* nicer light-on-dark contrast (IMO)

But whiteboard gets chosen by non-experts b/c it supposedly makes less dust for electronics/projectors. Unfortunate.

[endtime → noro]

>But whiteboard gets chosen by non-experts

Presumably, non-experts in the details of your opinion about whiteboards vs. blackboards?

[eru → RK]

I like blackboards --- but then I am a mathematician. I even brought blackboard foil to glue to the walls at home.

[cturner → RK]

While RK is asking - has anyone had contact with those glass boards that Joel wrote about recently?

[mseebach → cturner]

Yep, they're nice.

One thing though, when there's direct light, what's written on the surface casts a shadow on the painted back-side. It looks a bit odd.

Also, the same effect results in a fuzzy picture when the glass board is used as a projector screen.

I'd love to experiment with back-lighting the glass board. If would eliminate the shadow-problem, and look pretty neat, I think.

[ponnap → cturner]

We've had them in my previous company. How different are they from the regular whiteboards?

They probably look a lot cleaner than the white ones after years of usage. If the ink in the marker dries out, it is harder to read than it is to, from a whiteboard. Can't think of others for now.

[hs → RK]

i like blackboard for the simple reason that chalk never lies