Re: Apples ==> Styles, Oranges ==> HT (was Re: I come not to praise HTML, blah blah....Bubblenomics)

From: Michael M. Butler (butler@comp-lib.org)
Date: Sun Dec 26 1999 - 19:49:33 MST


Rik:

>Since when are HREFs part of the text layout?

Re-read the prior posts. I never said they were. :) As my title might have
implied with a slightly more careful reading, one of my points is it's a
case of "comparing apples and oranges": someone else was talking about
style sheets as if they solved every HTML deficit, and I was pointing out
(perhaps badly) that the approach to _hypertext_ embodied in baseline HTML
was/is what is the least likeable thing about it to me.

>IMHO links are part of the content of the text and
>as such belong in the text, which is where they are
>now.

Well. many people agree with you. I say you're all wrong. :) But I
understand why it seems like a good idea. Among other things, you're used
to it, and you can tweak things in a flat text editor. I do it too. The
difference is, I know what I'm missing. :)

You say it doesn't get in the way of the text. I say that's absolutely not
true, _and_ I say you have a narrow idea of what text is: You mean flat
ASCII, or perhaps in a wild flight of fancy, Unicode.

  But you have lots of company.

Some will keep visualizing, and perhaps aiming for, something fundamentally
better. Eventually, perhaps, movement will occur in the directions pointed
out decades ago. In the mean time, griping about HTML will have predictable
collateral effects. *shrug* :)

MMB

PS: GENE: I wouldn't call them turkeys, but I sure as hell wouldn't call
them winged giants. :)



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