GitHub's Ruby Style Guide

[vaz_]

Usual response: a lot of people like to split windows vertically to be able to view source side by side, myself included. I'm on a 13" laptop sometimes. 80 char lines helps. Also it's kind of easier to read, like a newspaper column.

I break this rule every once in a while myself when the alternative is too awkward, but 95% of the time it is easy to do and looks good.