Over in this unrelated thread, it was announced that "Fit Width to View will not be present in Fremantle.".

It is my opinion that unless this feature of the stock browser is replaced by some similar functionality (e.g., tear has default word-wrapping for text heavy pages), then this is a lamentable development.

Obviously I understand why people wouldn't want to have FWTV as the default option, but for those of us who use our tablet largely to read blogs posts and news (not a small contingent, I wouldn't think), the lack of FWTV would seem to force one to choose between horizontal scrolling one's life away or else keeping font so small that reading text strains one's eyes. This is the choice that those with iTouches and iPhones must make. It's great that I don't have to make this choice with my n8x0.

Yes, I can always wait for Tear to be ported to Maemo 5. But I'm sure that there are going to be things that I like about the new browser (there are things I like about microb). So I'll just register my hope that the fremantle development team will reconsider. For the record, I simply want to be able to avoid horizontal scrolling when I make font big enough to read comfortably. If there is some way other than FWTV to do that on the new browser, then great.

(Also, while I'm at it, I'll note that many of us choose to modify the key bindings on microb so that the d-pad scrolls page-by-page instead of line-by-line. I'm fine with doing this via xterm/cli, but a toggle box in a settings panel would be great as well!)

Perhaps a simple way would to have the browser automatically fit width to view when zooming. Once back at 100%, it would resume the sites default view. That's if there are hardware keys for zooming. If there is no stylus on the next tablet, then the browsers display will probably be viewed differently anyway.

More information here:

Fit Width To View makes sites such as NYtimes.com unviewable
Fit Width To View should carry a health warning on browser startup

Specially I like this message from vbrilon:
If end users using this 'feature' has these problems, surely they will think: "the Maemo browser sucks".
I, for one, prefer this 'feature' out or at least not available in the UI.

I've never used the feature. I have a blog with long form posts and never had a problem. If a page is wide, it is usually because of adverts on the side which can be safely ignored by centering the content.

If it's really a problem then I think the page itself is badly coded.

As I said, "Obviously I understand why people wouldn't want to have FWTV as the default option." But you can't seriously be so paternalistic that you'd rather eliminate it all together over making non-FWTV the default or putting FWTV deep in the menus? After all, you *know* there are some of us who have good reasons for wanting some sort of FWTV functionality.

Seriously, what's the big deal if FWTV remains an option, located exactly where it is, just like having a webpage zoomed in to 300% is an option? Obviously it would be silly to have 300% zoom be the default, but it's not silly for it to be an option.

If one is worried about end users, one could have a dialogue that pops up the first time someone selects FWTV warning them that it might make the browser run slower on complex webpages. One could add a "Don't show this message again" toggle box so people can choose to be warned each time it's selected.

I just don't get this dismissive attitude toward an option that it's obvious some people appreciate.

Badly coded or not, without this feature this page would require incessant horizontal scrolling in microb when zoomed to 180%. Are you really prepared to condemn those of us whose eyes need 180% to horizontal scrolling? Sheesh.

Perhaps you suggest that nokia replace FWTV with a CTTPC (complain to this page's coder) option.

You don't need to zoom to 180% in the first place. If you find the fonts are small then you can choose larger fonts in the browser settings. Same layout, bigger fonts. Just like your desktop browser does.

Sorry, are you saying I can do that now? I don't see the setting. Or is this something that is coming in Fremantle?

If it's something I can do now, please tell me how. If it's easy to do and works, I'm happy. Again, all I want is to easily avoid horizontal scrolling. That said, I don't want the (burdensome) equivalent of changing a user agent every time I need to switch from non-FWTV to FWTV.

I still don't see how making FWTV available as an option is any more unhospitable to the "end user" than making 300% zoom an option. But whatever, I've expressed my opinion.

Yup... I was going to say. I have had nothing but problems with FTV. It may work well with a particular site but doesn't play nice with others and if I was away from the tablet for awhile, I often would forget it was enabled.

Have you tried installing and then scripting UserContent.css Im2 ? For me it's the only way to fly.

I modify the font size and image properties for just about every site I visit often. >> http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...ad.php?t=24752

When the sites font size is changed this way words wrap automatically.

You asked about the Fremantle browser and I answered about the Fremantle browser.