The logic gets a hair flimsy, but any Lochlevenite is likely appreciate this article, which explains why the size of e-Readers is related to the size of sheep...
It doesn't look to me like the Wired article makes much of a coherent argument, really. Sure, book sizes are kinda vaguely like ebook sizes, but their resemblance is approximate at best. By the same token, modern book sizes and paper sizes correspond only in an approximate way with those of the Gutenberg era, which in turn are hard to connect to vellum sizes.
So, sure, various sizes that were convenient for medieval hands are convenient for modern hands. Quelle surprise.
Idunno, what I take away when I boil down the involved not-quite-a-refutation at Snopes, is that, well...it all ultimately does go back to that Roman horse's ass. I mean, okay, there *is* a standard railroad gauge. And what is that standard? Why, 4'8.5". Not 4'8". Not 4'9". Four feet and eight and one-half inches. Exactly. Admit it, Snopes. Quod erat bloody demonstrandum.
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(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-04 09:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-05 01:58 am (UTC)It doesn't look to me like the Wired article makes much of a coherent argument, really. Sure, book sizes are kinda vaguely like ebook sizes, but their resemblance is approximate at best. By the same token, modern book sizes and paper sizes correspond only in an approximate way with those of the Gutenberg era, which in turn are hard to connect to vellum sizes.
So, sure, various sizes that were convenient for medieval hands are convenient for modern hands. Quelle surprise.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-05 02:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-05 03:15 am (UTC)