It allows note taking and corrections on drafts.
Same deal with things like SCOTUS opinions. (Random example: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-624_b07d.pdf)
Same deal with things like SCOTUS opinions. (Random example: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-624_b07d.pdf)
I don't think that that's quite right. SCOTUS opinions do indeed use a narrow text size (4 1/8" by 7 1/8" [0]), but that's because they're designed to be printed on unusually narrow paper (6 1/8" by 9 1/4" [0]), not to leave room for taking notes. This paper size actually only leaves 1" margins on either side, which leaves less room for taking notes than most other documents.
[0]: https://www.supremecourt.gov/filingandrules/2023RulesoftheCo...
That they can lop those margins off in the final printing that goes in a bound book is just saving a bunch of paper.
Maybe the foreword, acknowledgements, preface and various notes contained something of value.
It's a standard so no one has to think "does this page have enough space", and the notes are often relevant to the current page. Stuff like the photo in https://www.thedailybeast.com/photo-details-obamas-speech-ed...
They print it out and people go over it with a pen, make corrections, comments, etc.
But as ceejayoz points out, taking notes on the actual page is better.
I was having a dig at how long it took for the document to get to the point.