RE: @page { size: A4 }

Håkon Wium Lie [mailto:howcome@opera.com] wrote...
> Also sprach Michael Day:
>  > This is a proposal for an extension to the page size property to take
>  > named paper sizes in addition to lengths, to make it easier for users
to
>  > specify standard paper sizes without resorting to a ruler.
>  > 
>  > Syntax:
>  > 
>  > @page { size: identifier1 [identifier2] }
>  > 
>  > identifier1 is the case-insensitive name for a standard paper size.
>  > http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/iso-paper.html has a suitable list of
>  > standard paper size names and dimensions, for example:
>  > 
>  >  A4 : 210mm x 297mm
>  >  A5 : 148mm x 210mm
> 
> I have some sympathy for the proposal, and I think the "A4" value was
> part of the proposal for the "size" property at some point. It was
> removed based on feedback from a major printer manufacturer who said
> there are lots of different systems and conventions for naming paper
> sizes worldwide.


Maybe I'm just being a shade ignorant here, but my understanding is that at
least A4 is internationally recognised? (It would follow that the A series
is supported internationally) - at the very least, I doubt there is any
other definition of A4?

Thinking about it logically, "a4" would really just be a synonym for 210 x
297mm; But it does aid usability (I fear the consequences of typos and
getting a page 21mm wide, or even 297m long), and A4 does have significant
meaning, if only to the Europeans amongst us. I would be inclined to have
us-letter (and legal etc). If only to cater to for those still using good
old line printers and use US-Letter continuous stationary (even in Europe ;)

I've not been able to find reference to any such proposal in the past, or
any objections to it; I'd be interested in the "other" definition of A4 that
caused the major printer manufacturer to highlight it as an issue -- I could
understand concerns for "letter", however. Maybe we need the two letter ISO
country code to prefix non-international sizes? So, A4, us-letter, eu-dl,
etc?

Received on Friday, 11 April 2003 04:01:12 UTC