'knife and fork' model

Glenn,
 
GA: Could you explain this "knife and fork" model that you have now referred
to a few times? I can guess what you might mean, but I'm would rather you
explain.
 
Sorry - guilty of using a stock expression that is almost certainly not
global......
 
By 'knife and fork' model - I mean a mechanism where each tiny piece must be
carved out of a whole (knife), picked up and placed where wanted (fork), as
a deliberate specified act.
 
This is the current model for (non US CC style) subtitling/captioning files.
The files read like a script for display activity. All calculations
regarding line lengths, layout, impact of font sizes, timing etc - are (or
at least should be) performed by the author. There is no concept of user
(viewer) override of style. Note: these comments are specific to Non US
subtitling/captioning, US CC by its very design nature allows - and
anticipates - that the viewer can impose style overrides upon the
captions/subtitles.
 
Is there a better terminology for this concept?
 
I see a spectrum here that ranges from:
 
hard layout / style (knife and fork) -> soft style (e.g. US CC) ->
rhetorical ontology (user CSS?)
 
regards 
John Birch 

The views and opinions expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily

reflect the views and opinions of Screen Subtitling Systems Limited.