The Xerox Alto screen in portrait mode
Portrait mode is an expression of the computer world to indicate that the display surface is in the sense of height. Indeed, most display surfaces (screen, sheet of paper ...) are rectangular. So we could use them in the sense of the height or in the sense of the width.
In contrast, the use of the surface in the width direction is called landscape mode. The Xerox Alto used screens in portrait mode.
In print, the portrait and landscape modes are named in the French and Italian format (see the Binding article).
Screens are often used in the width direction. Touch tablets or phones usually switch their display mode, either at the request of the user, or automatically through a gravity sensor. This function optimizes the use of the display surface. If what you want to display is wider than it is tall, you will use landscape mode, and vice versa. Many screens and software allow the use of pivot mode. code
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