[this] as a synonym for [this][]

[Rad Geek]

On Sun, 03 Apr 2005 05:46:06 -0400, Mark Smith <mark at bbprojects.net> wrote:

> Paul Mucur wrote:
>
>> The main use of square brackets is to denote omissions or the insertion
>> of words; for example:
>>
>>       "[Markdown] is a fantastic thing in my opinion and [...] it is  
>> free
>> for personal use."
>>
>> In the above example, the real quote could have been as follows:
>>
>>       "It is a fantastic thing in my opinion but, as I have found out  
>> from
>> looking on John Gruber's web site, it is free for personal use."
>
> This: [...] is a good example of an additional use of square brackets,  
> but its not one that is ever going to be confused with a link, is it ?
>
> For "insertions", its not *necessary* to use *square* brackets, so this  
> is another instance where a non-confusing alternative can be used if you  
> run into a problem with a markdown text...

But look, whether it's *necessary* or not, this by far the most common  
convention. (It's not *necessary* for people to use double-quotes to mark  
off quotations either.) My understanding of Markdown is that, insofar as  
it's possible, it should work with standard conventions for writing in  
plaintext, not require people to change them.

A while back when these issues were mooted, one of the compromise  
suggestions was to use WikiPedia-style links--with a double-square bracket  
instead of a single-square bracket: `[[this]]`, rather than `[this]`, as  
equivalent to `[this][]`. Both of them preserve symmetry (and John's  
right--it's strangely addictive to type; but I think that applies to  
`[[this]]` as much as it does to `[this]`). I think `[[this]]`` has some  
substantial advantages over `[this]`:

1.	Lower probability of collision in writing

2.	As Michel has pointed out, `[this]` also can slow down *reading* of  
Markdown
	text. Since `[[this]]` is unambiguous, you'll know to expect a link  
reference
	somewhere.

3.	Maybe it's just me, but `[this]` just doesn't look like a link to me.  
It looks
	like an editing mark. `[[this]]`, on the other hand, *does* look like a  
link
	(or a cross-reference) to me.

4.	Prior usage; `[[this]]` is already widely used in WikiPedia and other  
Wikis

What do y'all think?

Cheers,
-C

-- 
Charles Johnson <technophilia at radgeek.com>
AIM: AiPuch
WWW: http://www.radgeek.com/

Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/