Quote:
"In the context of the book as an object, the key difference between Formless and Definite Content is the interaction between the content and the page. Formless Content doesn’t see the page or its boundaries. Whereas Definite Content is not only aware of the page, but embraces it. It edits, shifts and resizes itself to fit the page. In a sense, Definite Content approaches the page as a canvas— something with dimensions and limitations — and leverages these attributes to both elevate the object and the content to a more complete whole.
Put very simply, Formless Content is unaware of the container. Definite Content embraces the container as a canvas. Formless content is usually only text. Definite content usually has some visual elements along with text."
source: http://craigmod.com/journal/ipad_and_books/
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I interpret the authors use of 'visual elements' as any and all formatting, including hyphenation; even that lowly hyphen (the elephant in the eReading room) transforms the 'formless' into the 'definite'.
I'm a 'definate' reader with a 'formless' device; worse still, I've wasted hours force-feeding the 'formless' device with 'definite' content in a multitude of containing formats.
So, it's back to the 'definite' canvas for me where "dimensions and limitations...elevate...a more complete whole"