[rat_on_the_run]

I don't like side notes. It tries to separate the readers to two groups---one who wants more details and the other who doesn't, but the problem is that there's no such natural division.

When I read articles with side notes, I often find myself constantly checking the side notes and then regret doing it because the info is unnecessary. I prefer the author to carefully think through and choose what info to present instead of just dumping info to the side notes.

[digging]

I think that just means the author is writing bad side notes. Structurally, they do have a place. You said that yourself - "I do like to see details and I'm curious". An author moving all their side notes into the main content would not make it clearer. An author deleting their useless side notes would make it clearer. Neither of those speak to the usefulness of side notes.

[nicbou]

I use them a lot on allaboutberlin.com, because some readers are familiar with certain things and others are not. This lets me serve both audiences while keeping the guides short and straightforward.

I very rarely use footnotes except for citations, unless it's a precision that would be useless to all but the most erudite readers.

[wonger_]

I treat sidenotes/footnotes like parenthetical expressions - too many are distracting. A strong writer should be able to convey his thoughts and asides without interrupting the flow of text.

But I'm not sure they can be eliminated entirely. At least sidenotes make use of empty space on wide screens.

[ants_everywhere]

This seems like evidence that there is a natural division and you're in the second camp, no?

[rat_on_the_run]

The thing is, I do like to see details and I'm curious. That's why I check them in the first place. But we can't know beforehand whether it's useful or not.

This is true for both footnote and side note, but for footnotes I can give it a glance to see if I want to read it thoroughly after reading the whole page, whereas for side notes, they are so easy and tempting to be seen. I feel the point of notes is that they do not interrupt the main flow but side notes put them on almost equal footing in terms of attracting attention as the main content.

Besides, footnote/side notes should be kept minimal, otherwise the note becomes the main content. I find articles with side notes often overuse them. Yeah, if they are kept minimal I guess both approaches are fine.

[082349872349872]

> otherwise the note becomes the main content.

There are some authors whose footnotes (even sometimes indices) I read before the main content, because in the past they've hidden all the best bits there.

[ants_everywhere]

It would be nice if it were configurable where the notes appear, either foot side or end.