[Doc-SIG] Call for opinions on "inline external targets" idea

[David Goodger]

I'd like to hear what long-time reStructuredText users think of all
this.

Simon Budig has proposed an "inline anonymous external target"
construct, where a URL immediately follows a reference in the text
flow.  I'm reluctant to add the construct (in whatever form) because
it breaks the flow of text.  It's similar to the syntax used by
StructuredText, which was rejected because it broke up the flow of
text.  The advantage of the "inline" construct is that it keeps the
URI close to the reference, making it easier to edit the text while
keeping references and targets in sync.

The best syntax so far looks like this::

    This is a reference__ __<http://example.com> to an example.

This is equivalent to::

    This is a reference__ to an example.

    __ http://example.com

A "named" version has also been proposed::

    This is a reference_ _<http://example.com> to an example.
    And another reference_ to the same one.

This is equivalent to::

    This is a reference_ to an example.
    And another reference_ to the same one.

    .. _reference: http://example.com

Here the name for the inline target is implied.

So, what do you think?  Is this construct useful?  Is the syntax
clear?  Is it intrusive?  Is it worth adding to reStructuredText?  Add
it outright, or as an explicitly invoked optional extension?

Thanks!

-- 
David Goodger  <goodger@users.sourceforge.net>  Open-source projects:
  - Python Docutils: http://docutils.sourceforge.net/
    (includes reStructuredText: http://docutils.sf.net/rst.html)
  - The Go Tools Project: http://gotools.sourceforge.net/