Pcdmis reports as follows:

Nominal = -12.291
Actual = -11.905
Deviation = 0.386

Nominal = 60.902
Actual = 60.487
Deviation = -0.415

Nominal = 4.381
Actual = 4.527
Deviation = 0.146

Nominal = -1.471
Actual = -1.571
Deviation = -0.100

This gives an example of the 4 possible dimension combinations, +axis and -axis, +dev and -dev. If you are checking at a positive axis value and get a negative dev., then your actual is closer to the zero line. If you are checking at a negative axis value and get a negative dev., then you are further away from the zero line. If you are checking at a positive axis value and get a positive dev., then you are further from the zero line and if you are checking at a negative axis value and get a positive dev., then you are closer to the zero line.

I think that DMIS standard got made the way it did so that people who don't understand LH and RH (or know if it is a RH or LH part) can look at the reported deviations and say "Negative dev. means inboard while positive means outboard". Personally, I prefer the 'correct' deviation reporting, the way Pcdmis does it. I mean, if you have a -100.000 for nominal and an actual of -99, then you have a +1.0mm deviation, it deviated in the positive axis direction by 1.0.