Much of what we consume happens to be Formless. The bulk of printed matter — novels and non-fiction — is Formless.
In the last two years, devices excelling at displaying Formless Content have multiplied — the Amazon Kindle being most obvious. Less obvious are devices like the iPhone, whose extremely high resolution screen, despite being small, makes longer texts much more comfortable to read than traditional digital displays.
In other words, it’s now easier and more comfortable than ever to consume Formless Content in a digital format.
Is it as comfortable as reading a printed book?
Maybe not. But we’re getting closer.
When people lament the loss of the printed book, this — comfort — is usually what they’re talking about. My eyes tire more easily, they say. The batteries run out, the screen is tough to read in sunlight. It doesn’t like bath tubs.
Important to note is that these aren’t complaints about the text losing meaning. Books don’t become harder to understand, or confusing just because they’re digital. It’s mainly issues concerning quality.
via craigmod.com