AFAIK, ramps can work in any direction as long as you have at least one WALL next to the ramp on the lower level, and the top of that same wall mined out on the upper level. Your example does not have that requirement, so I'd say it wouldn't work.
Your example I'd consider the normal way. That's how I'd usually do it. For space and balance reasons I'd like it exactly where it is, if possible.
I tend to think you're right that it won't work. Judging by the wiki, the only way to change the direction of the ramp is via the lower level wall. So in essence my example is E-W and that makes it exactly like Example A in the wiki, aka the unusable ramp.
What I meant when I said "ramps can work in any direction" was that I don't think the game actually defines ramps as being "e-w" or "n-s" .. I think there is simply a ramp, and a dwarf can depart onto ANY upper level tile as long as there is a wall next to the ramp on the lower level.
I've seen some people maintain that stairs have 10 entry/exit-ways and ramps have 9, but I'd maintain that ramps have at most 8, seeing as how every upper-level exit must have a corresponding wall on the lower level. However, in terms of path testing, I suppose it's possible ramps might have to exert more TESTS than stairs would? Not 100% sure on that, though. I've converted from using stairs to a ramp spiral on my forts, and I haven't noticed any FPS increase. But, again, I've never done any wild crazy pathing in my forts.