An interesting exchange of opinions just now on Twitter ~ about the golden section, grids by @markboulton, @jasonsantamaria and @soulellis. Just wanted to capture a quick snapshot of this - food for thought ;)

@markboulton :

Tutorials: 7 column compound grid, 2 column golden section grid (with nested non-uniform columnar). #chapter5 #designinggrids

@jasonsantamaria :

@markboulton Please, no more golden section! :)

@markboulton :

@jasonsantamaria heh. What, you mean you don't want another contrived diagram overlaid Notre Dame? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!? :D

@jasonsantamaria :

@markboulton Tis true :) I don't think the golden section is worth talking about when it comes to screen design.

@markboulton :

@jasonsantamaria Really? For vertical composition, there are problems, true. But, a simple two column division, it's as good a ratio as any.

@jasonsantamaria :

@markboulton Nope, I don't buy it :)

@markboulton :

@jasonsantamaria You see, I just don't know what to say to that. Other than, 'oh, ok'. :)

@jasonsantamaria :

@markboulton The theory is nice, but in practice, the ratio loses much of its intended effect because you can't be sure how much you see.

@markboulton I wrote about it a while back too: v4.jasonsantamaria.com/articles/whatsgolden

@markboulton :

@jasonsantamaria not sure I buy that the golden section applies to horizontal *and* vertical composition. It can just be bisecting a line.

@jasonsantamaria :

@markboulton It's a ratio, of course it applies to both. :)

@soulellis

@markboulton @jasonsantamaria The golden ratio can indeed exist as a line, or in one dim only / see diagram, top right. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

@jasonsantamaria :

@soulellis @markboulton We're not talking about just the ratio, but the implementation of the ratio. A website has depth.

@markboulton :

@jasonsantamaria @soulellis I think this is where we're getting confused. I was talking about division of horizontal space only.

@jasonsantamaria :

@markboulton @soulellis As long you don't use one of those damned spirals in the image, I'm OK with it ;)

@markboulton :

@jasonsantamaria Dammit, I was going to use a nautilus shell. @soulellis

@jasonsantamaria

@markboulton I think those diagrams are part of the problem. Sorry buddy :)

@markboulton :

@jasonsantamaria they are indeed. We're in complete agreement.

@jasonsantamaria :

@markboulton See, now we need to be in the same place so that we can agree over pints. Boo time space continuum!

And the conversation expanded a little more, touching upon baseline grids and ending in an agreement to disagree. Love those conversations :)