On each full paragraph line of text on this blog there are about 75 characters—which is widely regarded as the most characters that you can put on a line and still have it optimal for readers.
I still use 80 columns as the limit on all the text documents I write, including source code. Occasionally I'll push it up to 128 but most of the time even I personally prefer 80 as an ideal width.
Also, who maximises a browser, unless their monitor is tiny? Especially with resolutions where they are today. I have around a dozen other apps open at the moment and none of them are maximised.
I actually do maximize the browser quite often when just browsing, i.e. not using the web while working on other things. My main screen is a 27" at 2560x1440, and I like how a maximized window allows for less distractions and more horizontal tab space.
Unless the page doesn't have a max-width of course, which usually forces me to resize the window; for HN I created a restyling Greasemonkey script though.
I always maximize my browser windows. There are a handful of applications that's true of, browsers, video players, IDEs, and games for the most part always get the fullscreen treatment. Chat clients, terminals, certain kinds of editors, etc. I usually tile. Of course my screen is only 1920x1080 so results may vary (I miss my 1920x1200 monitor, but they're so hard to find at a reasonable price now).
When I do have the luxury of working on only one thing and focusing on that, it's great. Much of my work (technical, research, or otherwise) involves flipping between different applications or windows. Usually a terminal (or several), and one or more Web pages open for reference.
Yes, so does mine, that's why I use multiple virtual workspaces, with one or two windows per workspace. I have 18 open windows at this moment, with 16 of them maximized.
Also, who maximises a browser, unless their monitor is tiny? Especially with resolutions where they are today. I have around a dozen other apps open at the moment and none of them are maximised.
Someone who doesn't have state-of-the-art resolutions. My 3 screens top out at 1280 px wide, so any browser window is maximized by default.
I still use 80 columns as the limit on all the text documents I write, including source code. Occasionally I'll push it up to 128 but most of the time even I personally prefer 80 as an ideal width.
Also, who maximises a browser, unless their monitor is tiny? Especially with resolutions where they are today. I have around a dozen other apps open at the moment and none of them are maximised.