[Doc-SIG] horizontal rules & text divisions

[David Goodger]

Tony J Ibbs (Tibs) wrote:
> (in particular, horizontal rules are very useful).

>From rst-notes.txt:

    Wolfgang Lipp suggested adding horizontal rules (HTML <HR>) to the
    syntax.  A line of punctuation with a blank line before and
    after::

        Para.

        ------------------------------------------------------------

        Para.

    The problem is, HRs are purely presentational.  What structural
    significance do they have?

Tony's mention of HRs brought forward an idea from the nether regions of my
cerebrum, relating to constructs commonly seen in novels and short fiction.
Rummaging around in my copy of The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th ed., I
found this confirmation (sect. 1.80):

    Instead of subheads, extra space or a type ornament between
    paragraphs may be used to mark text divisions or to signal
    changes in subject or emphasis.

In other words, "anonymous sections"! *There's* the structural significance.
An HTML Writer could render these text divisions as horizontal rules if it
likes.

Whaddy'all think? Worth adding to the spec?

-- 
David Goodger    goodger@users.sourceforge.net    Open-source projects:
 - Python Docstring Processing System: http://docstring.sourceforge.net
 - reStructuredText: http://structuredtext.sourceforge.net
 - The Go Tools Project: http://gotools.sourceforge.net