User:Rlee0001/Markup vs MetaForming
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Metaforming is the practice of using a high-level syntax to describe the contents of an article rather then using a markup language to describe its appearance. For example, in a markup language, an author might make a heading my using ===-like codes. In metaforming, an author wouldn't define headings at all. Instead he would define sections. The wikipedia would use the section-identifiers to produce appropriate headings, <a name="..."> tags, a section menu at the top of the page and all appropriate formatting such as left-margins, justifications and paragraph breaks. No longer would the author need to worry about how many equal signs a header should have given its nested depth. As a result, articles have a more consistent appearance and the wikipedia's presentation components (style sheets and so on) have more flexability. I recommend syntax similar to:
- [[SECTION:Section_identifier
- Shakespeare drew the story for "As You Like It" from a story called "Rosalynde, Euphues' Golden Legacy" written by Thomas Lodge and published in 1590. In Shakespeare's version, Frederick has usurped the Duchy and exiled his older brother, known only as the Duke. The Duke's daughter Rosalind has been permitted to remain at court because she is the closest friend of Frederick's only child, Celia. Orlando, a young gentleman of the duchy who has fallen in love with Rosalind, is forced to flee his home after being persecuted by his older brother, Oliver. Frederick becomes angry and orders Rosalind to flee his court. Celia and Rosalind decide to flee together accompanied by the jester Touchstone, with Rosalind disguised as a young man.
- ]]
Which might render as:
Contents |
Section identifier
- Shakespeare drew the story for "As You Like It" from a story called "Rosalynde, Euphues' Golden Legacy" written by Thomas Lodge and published in 1590. In Shakespeare's version, Frederick has usurped the Duchy and exiled his older brother, known only as the Duke. The Duke's daughter Rosalind has been permitted to remain at court because she is the closest friend of Frederick's only child, Celia. Orlando, a young gentleman of the duchy who has fallen in love with Rosalind, is forced to flee his home after being persecuted by his older brother, Oliver. Frederick becomes angry and orders Rosalind to flee his court. Celia and Rosalind decide to flee together accompanied by the jester Touchstone, with Rosalind disguised as a young man.
Authors which nest thier sections will have thier headers grow progressively smaller (H2 to H4 or so). For example:
- [[SECTION:Alphabet
- [[SECTION:Constanants
- [[SECTION:Uppercase
- BCDFGHJKLMNPQRSTVWXYZ
- ]]
- [[SECTION:Lowercase
- bcdfghjklmnpqrstvwxyz
- ]]
- ]]
- [[SECTION:Vowels
- [[SECTION:Uppercase
- AEIOU
- ]]
- [[SECTION:Lowercase
- aeiou
- ]]
- ]]
- [[SECTION:Constanants
- ]]
Which might render as:
Alphabet
Constanants
Uppercase
BCDFGHJKLMNPQRSTVWXYZ
Lowercase
bcdfghjklmnpqrstvwxyz
Vowels
Uppercase
AEIOU
Lowercase
aeiou
At the top of the page, a table might be shown like this:
(Except that links would jump to the section headers within the article).
