In article ,
Bob Brenchley. wrote:
They were *intended* to be watched in a high capacity *cinema*,
hence the wide format, so everyone could sit near the screen.

Rubbish - the shape of the cinema screen has nothing to do with the
seating.

I seem to remember reading that widescreen cinema came in to combat TV in
the US - in the early days of TV it wasn't possible to make widescreen
tubes, the originals were actually round. And when colour TV arrived in
the UK, the tubes were 5:4 rather than the transmitted 4:3.

--
*Go the extra mile. It makes your boss look like an incompetent slacker *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn