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Article: To Markup or to Markdown?
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user1
May 9, 2015, 5:26:48 PM5/9/15
to
To Markup or to Markdown?
"Many digital publishers agree HTML5 is one of the best mediums not only
for outputting ebook content but for authoring it, too. Personally, I’m
not so sure."
URL: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2015/to-markup-or-to-markdown/
"Many digital publishers agree HTML5 is one of the best mediums not only
for outputting ebook content but for authoring it, too. Personally, I’m
not so sure."
URL: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2015/to-markup-or-to-markdown/
Helmut Richter
May 10, 2015, 3:48:22 AM5/10/15
to
which is composed of about 20 Web pages (HTML5 documents). Some parts
have started out in a markdown format very similar to the format of the
Markdown software. When an article is updated, I never modify the
markdown source but always the HTML5 version. The benefit of markdown is
when the text is *written* for the first time but is neglegible when it
is already in HTML5 form.
Markdown as well as HTML5 are fairly powerful for the medium-range
structure of a text: sections, subsections, paragraphs, ... . They are
both weak in the large structure (chapters, new pages, table of
contents, portions with non-standard width), for which I use classes of
sections such as <section id="secname" class="chapter"> with a
hand-written postprocessor to make separate HTML5 documents where
appropriate and to make a table of contents. This works just fine.
The other weakness is the fine structure inside the inline elements.
There I want not only "italic" but rather the semantic reason for it,
e.g. "ex" (object-language example consisting of words), "ex-affix"
(object-language example below word level), "gcode" (abbreviation with
fixed meaning throught the article), ... They become classes and are
used with the <span> element which, by its mere frequency, makes the
HTML5 text unreadable and thus more tedious to maintain. To see what I
talk about, you might want to look into the source of
http://hhr-m.userweb.mwn.de/de-decl/patterns/ or even worse
http://hhr-m.userweb.mwn.de/sw-fibel/wortb-wortart/ (the latter in
German but this makes no difference for the issue).
I have already considered to replace <span class="ex"> simply by the
undefined element <ex> and use it in CSS as if it were defined. It could
well work with some or most browsers but it is non-standard which I despise.
--
Helmut Richter
user1
May 11, 2015, 6:28:01 PM5/11/15
to
Hi there,
I enjoyed reading your well-written article here. You seem like you
speak from experience much greater than my own.
> I am not an author of books but of shorter articles, the longest of
> which is composed of about 20 Web pages (HTML5 documents). Some parts
> have started out in a markdown format very similar to the format of
> the Markdown software. When an article is updated, I never modify the
> markdown source but always the HTML5 version. The benefit of markdown
> is when the text is *written* for the first time but is neglegible
> when it is already in HTML5 form.
Sure, that makes sense to me.
> Markdown as well as HTML5 are fairly powerful for the medium-range
> structure of a text: sections, subsections, paragraphs, ... . They are
> both weak in the large structure (chapters, new pages, table of
> contents, portions with non-standard width), for which I use classes
> of sections such as <section id="secname" class="chapter"> with a
> hand-written postprocessor to make separate HTML5 documents where
> appropriate and to make a table of contents. This works just fine.
That seems a workable, and ultimately efficent approach.
> The other weakness is the fine structure inside the inline elements.
> There I want not only "italic" but rather the semantic reason for it,
> e.g. "ex" (object-language example consisting of words), "ex-affix"
> (object-language example below word level), "gcode" (abbreviation with
> fixed meaning throught the article), ... They become classes and are
> used with the <span> element which, by its mere frequency, makes the
> HTML5 text unreadable and thus more tedious to maintain. To see what I
> talk about, you might want to look into the source of
> http://hhr-m.userweb.mwn.de/de-decl/patterns/ or even worse
> http://hhr-m.userweb.mwn.de/sw-fibel/wortb-wortart/ (the latter in
> German but this makes no difference for the issue).
I looked at the sources you pointed me to, and I see what you mean
regarding "classes are used with the <span> element which, by its mere
Ultimately, I am inclined to think that markdown has it's purposes. But
as you say; I would be also inclined to think it wise to only use it as
a 'starting-point', and use raw HTML editing to do updates.
Thank you very much for your comments.
I enjoyed reading your well-written article here. You seem like you
speak from experience much greater than my own.
> I am not an author of books but of shorter articles, the longest of
> which is composed of about 20 Web pages (HTML5 documents). Some parts
> have started out in a markdown format very similar to the format of
> the Markdown software. When an article is updated, I never modify the
> markdown source but always the HTML5 version. The benefit of markdown
> is when the text is *written* for the first time but is neglegible
> when it is already in HTML5 form.
> Markdown as well as HTML5 are fairly powerful for the medium-range
> structure of a text: sections, subsections, paragraphs, ... . They are
> both weak in the large structure (chapters, new pages, table of
> contents, portions with non-standard width), for which I use classes
> of sections such as <section id="secname" class="chapter"> with a
> hand-written postprocessor to make separate HTML5 documents where
> appropriate and to make a table of contents. This works just fine.
> The other weakness is the fine structure inside the inline elements.
> There I want not only "italic" but rather the semantic reason for it,
> e.g. "ex" (object-language example consisting of words), "ex-affix"
> (object-language example below word level), "gcode" (abbreviation with
> fixed meaning throught the article), ... They become classes and are
> used with the <span> element which, by its mere frequency, makes the
> HTML5 text unreadable and thus more tedious to maintain. To see what I
> talk about, you might want to look into the source of
> http://hhr-m.userweb.mwn.de/de-decl/patterns/ or even worse
> http://hhr-m.userweb.mwn.de/sw-fibel/wortb-wortart/ (the latter in
> German but this makes no difference for the issue).
regarding "classes are used with the <span> element which, by its mere
frequency, makes the HTML5 text unreadable and thus more tedious to
maintain".
maintain".
> I have already considered to replace <span class="ex"> simply by the
> undefined element <ex> and use it in CSS as if it were defined. It
> could well work with some or most browsers but it is non-standard
> which I despise.
Agreed :)
> undefined element <ex> and use it in CSS as if it were defined. It
> could well work with some or most browsers but it is non-standard
> which I despise.
Ultimately, I am inclined to think that markdown has it's purposes. But
as you say; I would be also inclined to think it wise to only use it as
a 'starting-point', and use raw HTML editing to do updates.
Thank you very much for your comments.
dorayme
May 11, 2015, 8:12:22 PM5/11/15
to
In article <iZSdnWltZ-12sczI...@giganews.com>,
--
dorayme
user1 <no...@none.invalid> wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> I enjoyed reading your well-written article here.
Whose well written article?
> Hi there,
>
> I enjoyed reading your well-written article here.
--
dorayme
user1
May 12, 2015, 10:43:28 AM5/12/15
to
effort made to write a clear, meaningful response.
As in 'newsgroup article', maybe I should have said 'response' instead
of 'article'?
dorayme
May 12, 2015, 5:34:43 PM5/12/15
to
In article <iZSdnWptZ-0XjM_I...@giganews.com>,
>
"Mean't"? You mean you "mean not" Helmut's article? So, what article
did you mean? OK. OK. I am just teasing now. <g>
> As in 'newsgroup article', maybe I should have said 'response' instead
> of 'article'?
You were fine on this, don't worry.
--
dorayme
user1 <no...@none.invalid> wrote:
> On 12/05/2015 01:12, dorayme wrote:
> > In article <iZSdnWltZ-12sczI...@giganews.com>,
> > user1 <no...@none.invalid> wrote:
...
> On 12/05/2015 01:12, dorayme wrote:
> > In article <iZSdnWltZ-12sczI...@giganews.com>,
> > user1 <no...@none.invalid> wrote:
> > > I enjoyed reading your well-written article here.
> >
> > Whose well written article?
>
> I mean't the usenet article from Helmut Richter...
> >
> > Whose well written article?
>
>
"Mean't"? You mean you "mean not" Helmut's article? So, what article
did you mean? OK. OK. I am just teasing now. <g>
> As in 'newsgroup article', maybe I should have said 'response' instead
> of 'article'?
--
dorayme
user1
May 12, 2015, 7:09:14 PM5/12/15
to
culminating in an MSc in Maths.
This was fine until a road traffic accident a few years back left me
with farely bad spelling, bad punctuation's, and grammer poor. ;)
Getting better all the time, hoping to get to grips with Usenet such
that I can contribute. Still learning though, all feedback is appreciated..
Thanks :)
wmgill
Jun 23, 2015, 12:43:51 PM6/23/15
to
was a 55mph head-on), let me tell you "Getting better all the time..."
is primarily a result of your effort, and you will learn to appreciate
"keyboard conversations" because they will allow you to "see" and edit
your conversation in a way verbal conversations won't.
You may even come to appreciate dorayme's unique wit.
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