Reader - looking for which technology

[Geoff]

I wish to write a reader/display program and want to know what
technology I need to learn to do this.

I suspect that javascript with css can do this.

Here is what I wish to do:

I wish to expose a line of words (like from a book) at a time.

The size of the font is adjustible.
The number of characters on the line are adjustible.
The lines would be displayed for a period of time, also adjustible.
If you set the number of characters per line to a small number one word
would flash on the screen and then the next etc.

Can anyone suggest a technology?

 

[mickey]

I would say either HTML/Javascript/CSS or Flash but either with a
database backend.

 

[Geoff]

Is there a timing functionality in Javascript that allows me to time
when the next screen will show?

Flash has a time line, but can it be dymanically changed?

I want to have something like a throttle where the user can increase or
decrease the speed.