Message-Id: <9302082041.AA02336@sc.zib-berlin.dbp.de>
Reply-To: Mailing list for the LaTeX3 project <LATEX-L@vm.urz.Uni-Heidelberg.de>
Date:         Mon, 8 Feb 93 21:42:14 CET
From: Frank Mittelbach <MITTELBACH@MZDMZA.ZDV.UNI-MAINZ.DE>
Sender: Mailing list for the LaTeX3 project <LATEX-L@vm.urz.Uni-Heidelberg.de>
To: Multiple Recipients of <LATEX-L@vm.urz.Uni-Heidelberg.de>
Subject:      using grids as a layout tool
Status: R


Barbara said,

> what i've heard is that baseline alignment *is* mechanical, but it was
> a desirable goal when printing was done with wet paper on inked metal
> type, where it was impossible not to leave a real impression.  it was
> desirable not to have a raised impression from the reverse of a page
> intruding on what someone was trying to read, so the alignment was
> really aimed at front and back of the same sheet of paper.  alignment
> across facing pages then came automatically.

This may be the origin but this argument is also true when using
modern technology since often enough the paper used is not thick
enough to completely prevent the black ink (or whatever it is:-) from
the other side to shine through.

From my experience this is far less distracting if the baselines from
back and front (as well as the left and right margins!) match.

Also, there are several design schools promoting the grid as an
abstract design tool, see for example

@STRING( VNR      = {Van Nostrand Reinhold})
@STRING( a:VNR      = {New York})
@book(VNR:AHu78,
   AUTHOR = {Allen Hurlburt},
   TITLE = {The grid: A modular system for the design and production of
            newspapers, magazines, and books},
   PUBLISHER = VNR,
   address = a:VNR,
   YEAR = 1978,
   source = {copy of book},
   annote = {Explains reasons for the use of grid systems in the
             design of newspapers, magazines, and books. It contains
             many examples, actual layouts and their underlying grids.
             (FMi)\par A complete introduction to using grids in
             newspaper, magazine, and book design. (RRu)},
   keywords = {Layout,Design,Typography,Grids}
)


But in any way, I think this is wrong argument. I think the purpose of
the ltx3 project should be to provide design possibilities and not to
declare the `right way'. And designing by using a grid (and not only
such a simple one concerning baselines) is certainly a valid and
important design strategy and should therefore be supported by the
ltx3 design language.

This does *not* that I find it wrong to think about such issues and do
research on them but this should be independent of this project.

The whole thing reminds me on the discussions about whether or not an
author-date scheme for bibliographies, or doing bibliographies in
footnotes, or ... is obsolete and should be replaced by the only
sensible way which is ....... This is not the right kind of approach;
we should support various conventions because they mae sense for
different communities.

Frank