[Xenophon]

Speaking as an expert programmer with modest (but not expert) knowledge of typography and layout, I see no reason why reflowable layout can't improve to the level of "pretty good" hand-optimized typography and layout. I definitely expect that doing better than LaTeX should be well within reach. (Assuming more R&D, of course.)

That said, I don't expect automated typography and layout to surpass the best hand-optimized typography, layout, page design, etc. Rather, I expect automation to take care of all the ordinary cases -- probably achieving the level of "non-offensive" even for Ahi. Eventually. Not right away -- LaTeX isn't there yet, and the various web browser and ePub renderers are worse.

In the short term, I'd just like to see an ePub renderer that hyphenates as well as LaTex (they could just use the LaTeX algorithms -- it is open source, after all!) and gives the user some choice on things like in-line display of line numbers (as in "let me make those &^%$&^%$ things go AWAY!) and left/right/full justification. That still wouldn't satisfy someone like Ahi, but would reach "non-offensive" for my needs (specifically, reading fiction on devices with different screen sizes).

I also wish that the "PDF is the only thing that's good enough" zealots and the "reflowable formats are the greatest thing since sliced bread" zealots would recognize that they disagree exactly because they value different things. Please, oh please, folks: Let the other guys say "I want X because it matters to me for reasons Y and Z." And then respond with, "OK, I can see that. But I want A because B and C matter more to me than Y and Z do." That would let us provide lots more light with a whole bunch less heat.

Xenophon
(You're both right. It's a floor wax AND a desert topping!!)