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

[Rad Geek]

On Sun, 03 Apr 2005 14:13:07 -0400, John Gruber <gruber at fedora.net> wrote:

> Rad Geek <technophilia at radgeek.com> wrote on 04/03/05 at 1:27pm:

>> So they'd be a lot more likely to use
>> something like:
>>
>>   I like to use [[free links]].
>>
>>   And you should consult WikiPedia about [free links][1].
>>
>>   [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_links
>>
>> Does that make any sense?

> Yes, I think that's exactly what a sensible person using Markdown in
> a wiki would do.

I agree. Point being that it seems like it's OK to use `[[this]]` syntax  
in Markdown while also using it for free links in the Wiki: sensible  
people are unlikely to do anything that will cause a collision, and  
non-colliding uses look pretty natural. Unless I'm missing something  
important.

While I was out walking today, though, I realized there is one advantage  
in favor of the `[this]` syntax. To wit, it *does* offer a straightforward  
solution to the old question of e-mail markup like this:

	I like footnotes.[1]

	[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footnotes

Under the experimental syntax this will now produce:

	<p>I like footnotes.<a  
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footnotes">1</a></p>

... which is maybe a little ugly, but can be styled into something not so  
ugly, and is a pretty natural translation of the e-mail idiom.

I don't think this is a decisive argument in favor of single-bracket  
syntax; double-bracket syntax still seems better to me on balance. But I  
guess it is one nice side-effect to keep in mind.

Cheers,
-C

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

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