Re: Making pt a non-physical unit

On Jan 15, 2010, at 6:01 PM, David Singer <singer@apple.com> wrote:

> In print media intended to be read 'at hand', the CSS inch should  
> generally map to a true inch on the printed surface.  [...]  for  
> large displays intended for distant viewing, a CSS inch may be  
> larger than a CSS inch.

Typo? I think you meant "a CSS inch may be larger than a physical  
inch" when talking about large displays.

> In both printed and electronic 'billboard' displays, a CSS inch may  
> be much larger, therefore, than a physical inch, so that a CSS pixel  
> subtends the expected angle at the eye for the typical viewer.

My view is that in print, an inch is an inch is an inch, unless it is  
scaled explicitly (in the print options, for instance), in hand or  
not. In print, it is the physical dimensions that you can actually  
count on to be true, and I don't want to change that. Thus, you can  
create a 360in layout on the screen, zoom way out to see the whole  
thing, see what a 120px border looks like on it, then print it out at  
actual size using a huge-format ink hose printer, and the proportions  
will be maintained. And no one has to guess if looks better at 2 city  
blocks away or 1 block away.

Received on Saturday, 16 January 2010 04:28:39 UTC