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Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --)
From: |
Philip Webb |
Subject: |
Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --) |
Date: |
Mon, 15 Mar 1999 20:18:08 -0500 (EST) |
990315 David Combs wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 15, 1999 at 01:44:13PM -0500, Philip Webb wrote:
>> these changes have a basis in traditional professional secretarial style,
>> based on fixed-space typewriting.
>> as for the width of 1 em , that belongs in the world of printing,
>> which has always had variable-space fonts (since Caxton?),
>> not the very different world of on-screen WWW text-browsing,
>> which retains the fixed-space layout from typewriter days,
>> even if some WWW jargon has been imported from the printing world.
>> i'd say ` ' is as useful for readability as `--':
>> both can help a bit here & there, depending on context.
> Well, I sure don't like just several spaces! Especially THESE days,
> with tyros using computers and sending email and writing text and bad html.
> ALL THE TIME i see horrendously-formatted stuff
> , with multiple spaces between words, no spaces between words, etc
> (commas at the left margin!).
what are you referring to when you say "several spaces"?
> Seems to me we really need the two hyphens.
> when we write by hand, we don't just leave eg one inch of black space
> to indicate the meaning associated with an em-dash.
writing by hand is inevitably variable-spaced: see distinction above.
> Also, if we map an emdash onto blankspace,
> how is the READER to know we've done that?
what do you mean by "map an emdash onto blankspace"?
> Maybe we can fudge the html so it looks better on mono-spaced fonts
> (well, actually typewriter fonts), but we sure shouldn't fudge
> the English language (or whatever other languages also use such em-dashes)!
Lynx is designed for fixed-space fonts: from About Lynx under Help:
Lynx is a fully featured World-Wide Web browser for use ...
via cursor-addressable, character-cell terminals or emulators.
> Tell me, is this idea of mapping an em-dash into blankspace
> really SERIOUS within this group.
again, what are you talking about (see above)?
> I mean, is there a quorum of people for this idea?
i don't think you mean `quorum' ...
> If not just one person's idea, then we better talk about it
> a LOT more before implementing anything!
whatever you are reacting to, it's certainly not my message ... (smile)!
--
========================,,============================================
SUPPORT ___________//___, Philip Webb : address@hidden
ELECTRIC /] [] [] [] [] []| Centre for Urban & Community Studies
TRANSIT `-O----------O---' University of Toronto
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --), (continued)
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --), Philip Webb, 1999/03/15
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --), David Combs, 1999/03/15
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --), Philip Webb, 1999/03/15
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --), Klaus Weide, 1999/03/16
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --), David Combs, 1999/03/16
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --), David Combs, 1999/03/15
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --),
Philip Webb <=
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --), Leonid Pauzner, 1999/03/15
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --), Leonid Pauzner, 1999/03/15
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #8 (minore chrtrans undo), Leonid Pauzner, 1999/03/15
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #7 (Options menu!), Leonid Pauzner, 1999/03/15
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #9 (more comments), Leonid Pauzner, 1999/03/16
- Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #7 (Options menu!), Leonid Pauzner, 1999/03/16
- lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #2 (DJGPP build), Leonid Pauzner, 1999/03/04
- lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #3 (non UNIX build), Leonid Pauzner, 1999/03/05
Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.18, brian j pardy, 1999/03/04
Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.18, Kim DeVaughn, 1999/03/04