OK, I was expecting self-promotional spam... and maybe it is, but what a magnificent photo collection! To quote the old motto of my favourite Australian broadcaster - "the world is an amazing place!"
Agreed. The column and optimal line length conventions of print weren't arrived at through whimsy, but rather a centuries of experimentation in improving readability. Obviously screen is a very different medium, with it's own unique considerations but optimal line length is just as important a readability issue as ever.