Quote:
Originally Posted by kovidgoyal
Actually as computing technology matures, there will be more screen sizes, not less. And color has absolutely nothing to do with anything. Both reflowable and non-reflowable formats support color equally well.
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Hm. At the dawn of personal computer civilization, 640x480 was considered big, compared to the random, but generally smaller screen sizes, found on the primitive, mostly proprietary word-processing systems of the time. The PC world was largely monochromatic, text-based, and yes, reflowable.
Today, it is much more complex, much more visual, and generally standardized along several resolution/screen sizes. And much more "designed" and "fixed."
Take even a almost purely text-based website, like mobiread.com. It is largely FIXED layout, and that's a GOOD thing. A couple of decades ago, it would have been a jumble of unformatted, reflowable, and ugly text, suitable for the 6" green screens of the time.
And color is very significant: e-readers will not really take-off until they are in full, glorious color. Because if you have larger, color screens, you will be able to view complex periodicals, and their ads. And only then will e-reading come of age.