>A browser could have pageing rather than scrolling.
>The page is not so device specific.
>In HTML we can only deal with text on like paper rolls.
>When the paper rolls get long and numerous we realise that
>it would be nicer to have books with pages.
>This has happened before in history.
>Many things about pages should definately be dealt with
>only in style sheets but the page is so basic to our
>traditional way of working with text that outlawing it
>from HTML is going to cost a lot of trouble.
>Certainly when it does not cost any cluttering of the
>syntax we should give some thought to how the page idea fits
>in to what is decided.
No one is proposing outlawing it. The problem is that page size cannot be
known in advance. To use your book metaphor, the hardcover might be twice
the size of the pages, so the book won't fit on the shelf, except sideways
maybe. Or the cover might be half the size of the pages, and the pages
would get frayed.
You could choose an arbitrary page size, but that would be making many
assumptions. At least be sure no graphic is wider than 470 pixels, because
that is the standard imaging area width for Netscape and Mosaic browsers
when used on screens 640 pixels wide. Anyone with a 512-pixel wide screen
or smaller would get the wrong size, although they're probably used to it
already. ;)
>How is it going to hurt if formfeeds have their ordinary
>function as far as is reasonable. Browsers might show some
>kind of horizontal rendering or optionally act differently.
The HTML Document Character Set does not include the FF character. But
then, there could be a tag (or attribute) as a hint, much like <WBR>'s
raison d'etre.
-Walter
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