Automated Web PublishingNo-Tags Markup Example Document
Formatted WYSIWYG text is great, but isn't always available or convenient. The No-Tags Markup system is based on the belief that writers have developed a reasonable ad hoc system for conveying formatting and structural information within the constraints of "least common denominator" ASCII text. You can find examples in:
- news postings
- "forum" messages
Looking at the raw source text, would anyone dispute that the above is a list? (You may be reading the formatted version, which had better look like a list!) Unfortunately, most formal markup systems ignore the "new line" (carriage return) character that is so meaningful to you and I, thus destroying the list.
Still More Examples
How about headings? That one should be pretty clear. A numbered list can also be useful. For example, I could introduce different sorts of formatting:- emphasize your point
- act boldly
- avoid taking things too literally
I'll grant that the # isn't perfect, but it beats numbering by hand. While it may not follow existing practice to the letter, it is easy to read and easy to write, since # is clearly associated with numbers. Note that the No-Tags parser is smart, so I can toss in a random *, _ or ` without fear.
Allowing different approaches
I don't like rigid rules; so there's another way to create a headline.Venturing beyond the simple and obvious, a different sort of wrapping applies to the following:
Some text should not be rendered in that silly, throwback to an earlier era, typewriter looking, rather dull, fixed-width, mono-spaced type, but should merely be indented as a block, then wrapped according to the current margins.
Then, of course, is the ever-present source code:
for i = 1 to 10 do something!
Ok, on to a new section. That shouldn't be too controversial.
Getting Fancy
The obvious hypertext link here is to the unformatted version of this example (which you may be reading). Or, just up to the "still more examples" section (borrowing the # character from HTML's local reference).
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