A few other things that probably don't bear mentioning:
1) Part of this discussion is the possibility that sub-blades/breakers are useless. Not sure this is totaly true, but it is fairly true as they are generally configured, so any time you can make a metalhead plane maker design a plane around throwing these things out, it's a win for most users.
2) Does the bevel really know which way is up? Isn't it all about cutting and clearance angles, and are we really to believe that a blade secured more by the adjuster mechanism, vs. clamping to the bed is a better design?
3) In one sense the blade sometimes does know which way is up. Which side of the blade has the deeper scratches from sharpenig/laping all that stuff. That stuff should be down for the best cut. And I would venture to say that in many cases that furoughs are on the back, so bevel up it is. No consistancy though, an individual thing mostly.
Now for information only, not relavant really, what plane type perfectly answers in these three areas? Yes you guessed correctly, Japanese planes don't have any of these problems. Not that anyone cares all that much.
