New Default Stylesheet WIP

[tajmone]

@pml-lang, I'm quite satisfied with the work done so far in the css__default-new/ stylesheet. I've currently stopped all work because I was waiting for you feedback before carrying forward.

The results look much better in terms of base typography: the body text abides to the correct measure, paragraph indentation rules are automatically applied by CSS according to context, and I've ensured that numerals are shown in "old style" (aka "lowercase") in the text flux, but in "lining" style (aka "uppercase") in headings, smallcaps, and inline code, although I haven't yet defined the rules for tables.

I've also provided proper rules for handling Open Type ligatures and other advanced rendering properties, according to context. For that purpose, I've chosen a good font that provides all the required ligatures, native smallcaps, and old-sytle + lining numerals, in order to test that the CSS handles them properly. Of course, not every font has all these features, but the idea is that the stylesheet should cover them, and if the end user changes the default font, e.g. adopting one which has only lining numerals, then he/she simply won't benefit from these extra details, but it's still important to have them in place for when the fonts does features them.

I've played around with modular scales until I've found a good typographic compromise: a scale that is well balanced (no heading is too big or too small), and opted to provide same size to <h5> and <h6>, with the latter being italicized to distinguish it from the former. Most good publications often take this approach with the smaller heading employed in the book, to limit the number of typeface sizes in the book.

There's still tons of work to do, but before carrying on it would make sense to agree on a roadmap on which we both agree, since it demands a significant time investment to accomplish.

For example, the default stylesheet styles every blockquote as if it was a "pull quote" of sorts — too heavily styled. Usually this is done only for opening quotations (e.g. at the start of a chapter or section), whereas "normal" quotation blocks tend to have a more sober style: just an added left-margin, and some spacing before and after.

But then, of course, some choices really depend on what target use the stylesheet should be aiming it. So far, I was focusing on a general purpose stylesheet for articles, but obviously a tutorial might enjoy more freedom in terms of styling, and be less restricted by "classic rules".

Ideally, we should aim to provide multiple stylesheets, covering different uses, but starting with an elegant (and somewhat sober) stylesheet for articles seems a good start point to me.

I'd really appreciate some feedback on the work done so far. The css__default-new/ folder also includes sample documents when built, most of them are for testing purposes, but the typography.html document provides examples covering the different styles.

The way the repository is configured render it extremely easy to add a new stylesheet: the Rakefile automatically builds the required tasks and handles all the build behind the scene, all that it's required is to stick to the folder and files naming conventions, as documented in the main README.