A Modest Definition List Proposal

[David E. Wheeler]

Howdy,

I've been thinking a lot about definition list syntax, and what I did  
and didn't like about the PHP Markdown Extra syntax (which seems to be  
a de-facto standard, discount notwithstanding, yes?). What I came up  
with is a single character change to the PHP Markdown Extra syntax. I  
just published a detailed explanation of my thoughts and reasoning for  
this on [my blog](http://justatheory.com/computers/markup/modest-markdown-proposal.html 
). If you would excuse the temerity of my late entry into what I'm  
sure has been a contentious issue, I would love feedback.

In a nutshell, I embrace the PHP Markdown Extra syntax, with one  
change: I would like to see the colon replaced with a tilde (for  
backwards compatibility, both should be supported). That means that a  
simple definition list would look like this:


> Apple:

>   ~ Pomaceous fruit of plants of the genus Malus in the family  

> Rosaceae.

>   ~ An american computer company.

>

> Orange:

>   ~ The fruit of an evergreen tree of the genus Citrus.


And a more complicated one would look like this:


> Term 1:

>

> ~   This is a definition with two paragraphs. Lorem ipsum

>     dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam

>     hendrerit mi posuere lectus.

>

>     Vestibulum enim wisi, viverra nec, fringilla in, laoreet

>     vitae, risus.

>

> ~   Second definition for term 1, also wrapped in a paragraph

>     because of the blank line preceding it.

>

> Term 2:

>

> ~   This definition has a code block, a blockquote and a list.

>

>         code block.

>

>     > block quote

>     > on two lines.

>

>     1.  first list item

>     2.  second list item


See my blog entry for more detailed description of why I prefer the  
tilde to the colon for this purpose. The best things about it are that  
it makes for a more natural bullet, already has precedent in  
dictionaries, and suggest equivalency if you're familiar with  
mathematics, which makes for a nice mnemonic.

Comments? Has this ship already sailed?

Best,

David