Re: [css-writing-modes] Propose writing-mode: sideways-left

Jonathan Kew <jfkthame@gmail.com> wrote on 2015/08/20 23:23:10
> On 20/8/15 09:12, John Daggett wrote:
> >
> > Florian wrote:
> >
> >  > > So, when the minutes[1] says:
> >  > >
> >  > > > Okay. We don't have Koji so I suggest we resolve on the
> >  > > >          mailing list.
> >  > > >
> >  > > > - Everyone on the call was in support of the proposal to create
> >  > > >      sideways-lr and sideways-rl in writing-mode, but all the
> >  > > >      interested parties weren't on the call, so a decision will
> >  > > >      occur on the mailing list.
> >  > >
> >  > > I'm good, and no objections doesn't seem to be seen on this ML so far.
> >  > >
> >  > > Can we say this is resolved now?
> >  > >
> >  > > [1] https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-style/2015Aug/0051.html
> >  >
> >  > I mentioned during the call that you were in favor, but it is John
> >  > Daggett's opinion we're waiting for.
> >
> > No, I still don't think this is a good idea. It's exchanging complexity
> > of implementation for authoring model complexity and that's almost
> > always a poor choice in my opinion.
> 
> I don't agree that the proposal being considered here would increase authoring model complexity. If anything, I'd say it offers authors a cleaner and more understandable model. We'd have three modes (horizontal-tb, sideways-lr and sideways-rl) that all lay out text in the same way, but with a ±90° rotation in the sideways-* cases. In all three cases, the text is laid out according to the conventions of horizontal writing, even if it is then rotated in its entirety. No question of glyph orientation within the line ever arises in these modes.
> 
> And then there are the two vertical-* modes, which lay out text according to vertical writing-system rules. And for these, the text-orientation property may be used to override the glyph orientation when the default behavior is not suitable.
> 
> The one thought that occurs to me is that perhaps sideways-lr and sideways-rl would be clearer if they were renamed to rotated-left and rotated-right, or something like that.

I agree with you except the last one. I think sideways-lr and sideways-rl are better than rotated-left and rotated-right, because consistent with vertical-lr/rl where lr/rl indicates the line stacking direction, and because if we use 'rotated' here, misunderstanding of physical directions that margin-top, etc. are also rotated will easily happen.

> ...

--
Shinyu Murakami
CEO & Founder, Vivliostyle Inc.
http://vivliostyle.com
murakami@vivliostyle.com

Received on Thursday, 20 August 2015 16:04:11 UTC