Re[2]: Some HTML 3.0 suggestions

Ron Currier (rcurrier@productview.com)
Mon, 31 Oct 1994 14:57:21 -0700 (EST)

In addition to <FOOTNOTE> and <MARGIN> pop-ups, we have a need for pop-up
definitions ala WinHelp. This would seem to be a useful feature and very
much in the spirit of symantic markup.

I can't use the existing <DFN> tag, since it only marks the definition
and not the term being defined. Simply using something similar such as
<DEFINITION> won't work since, unlike <FOOTNOTE> and <MARGIN> which use
some browser chosen symbols as the "hot-link" (or can I do
<FOOTNOTE SRC="symbol"> to use a user-defined symbol?), a definition needs
a word or phrase. Something like:

<DEFINITION TERM="obscure-techie-term">You wouldn't understand</DEFINITION>

doesn't seem like it would be proper SGML. One other suggestion was:

<DEFINITION>obscure-techie-term<DFN>You wouldn't understand</DFN></DEFINITION>

which at least reuses the current <DFN> tag.

Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.

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Ron Currier rcurrier@ProductView.COM
ProductView Interactive 617.492.6600
URL http://www.ProductView.COM/