The Infinite Canvas

Designers of web-based books face an elemental question: to page or to scroll? Might as well ask: Android or iPhone? This talk will help attendees understand the pros and cons of each approach. By looking at a handful of especially well-designed models from both camps (including Welcome to Pine Point and Inkling), I’ll show how each layout benefits different kinds of content and leads to different kinds of reading experiences. Along the way, I’ll look back at the historical transition from scroll to codex, review what was lost and gained during that epic change, and discuss whether the 21st century’s digital scroll is comparable to the one from ancient times. Finally, I’ll review an entirely different option—panning & zooming across an “infinite canvas”—that should prove thought provoking to partisans on both sides.