Apostrophes - More typography than grammar/punctuation

[Frog]

As I said, this isn't a grammar gripe about when to use an apostrophe, but what's up with reversed (or flipped) apostrophes?
I just don't think that they look right.
Word processors and graphics programs flip 'em at the beginning of words or numbers (like in my year example) when used to replace missing characters.
As I said, to me, my version on the bottom looks right. Do any of you type experts have any answers?
Does anyone else mess with them?
Does anyone else even care? (Darryl, you're excluded from this exercise)

Here's what I mean. The top two are as typed (keyed), the bottom as Frogged.

[tpitman]

I don't think word processors have the "readin' and writin'" to know every variable with apostrophes.
Your sample on the bottom, when referring to an abbreviated date, compared to the first one, is I believe correct. I'm no grammar whiz, but I always thought that the apostrophe "tail" or descender, such that it is, pointed toward the missing digits indicating the vacancy. The first sample makes no sense at all. Just my opinion.

[Command-Z]

They're s'pos'd to "cup" the word like cradling hands.

I don't care, though, s'long as they're not us'd for s's intended for plural's, as I often see nowaday's.

[3Deep]

Frog...you not like my typing, WTF, I thought I was doing good    I knew the teacher would come out in you

[Frog]

They're s'pos'd to "cup" the word like cradling hands.

I don't care, though, s'long as they're not us'd for s's intended for plural's, as I often see nowaday's.

Scott, I've been thinking about this one, and I guess would like this much more if the little bugger was mirrored rather than flipped. It assaults my eyes!

And Darryl, I am going to get you to use the apostrophe key someday, and in the appropriate place, I swear on my seventh grade English teacher, Miss Addams' grave! 

[sportsshoppe]

Frog I agree totally.... Why are they backwards ? Are they correct and me wrong ? I have a retired teacher that works for me and she is on me all the time about flipping them around to what looks right, and that is just time used up. Even when using word and typing a proposal or something if you quote then there they are. I have noticed that some fonts do not put the one on the left upside down but most do.... Who is to say.

[Chadwick]

It's just a quirk of word processing. Macro stuff.
If you type something in quotes, it starts 66, and ends 99. That's proper.
Except when the machine is thinking for you, and you're thinking something else.
 
Your interpretation of the year thing is correct, I believe.
Convert to curves and flip it, haha.

[Sbrem]

Maybe we should go to the library and find a book written about a 100  years ago, and look for examples in there. I believe the curve of the apostrophe against the 6 as you show it is correct. If it's a quote within a quote, then I thing the 2 apostrophe's face each other, one upside down, but I forget which. I gotta get to the liberry I guess and do some book larnin'

[Frog]

Steve, to my eye, I could easily handle the apostrophes "facing" each other, but I would mirror the first one, not flip it.
As I am trying to emphasize here, this, to me is a visual thing, not punctuation necessarily.
That said, I have a job to do next week, and though the conventional version, funky as it it may be in my mind, has been approved by my young client, I am going to show him this version, which compromises somewhat, by using a more non-descript version of the little bugger, in Bauhaus rather than Arial.
He will either agree, disagree, appreciate my eye for detail, or think that I am a complete anal-retentive fool.
These are 2" letters on neon tanks, so it will really be prominent. The fact that these are for the University's alumni summer camp is an issue as well, so my compromise is the safest. Some of these folks may actually know what's correct, lol!

To most, this is much ado about nothing, but on the other hand, this will help get my post total up and I may win that $50, right?

HUh? that's somewhere else?

Never mind. 

Bot seriously, the 'correct" way really bugs me!

[Chadwick]

You mean that's the correct way?
Oh well, I've been screwing up this forever then.

[bimmridder]

Andy,thanks for starting this about one of my long time gripes. I argued with artists over this for a long time. I guess I always assumed the change happened when we starting using rub down type, and the makers were trying to save space on the sheets. Just my thought on why they went the way they did. Maybe I'll have our artists customize ours to be the way they should be!

[Frog]

btw, just delivered the job that brought this issue up. Turns out my young client liked my choice of a different, more symmetrical apostrophe that doesn't draw as much attention to its orientation.


Now, what's up with parentheses and their desire to not follow the same baseline as everyone else?