[Doc-SIG] Reworking Footnotes

[Tony J Ibbs (Tibs)]

David Goodger wrote:
>    I cannot fully appreciate humorous fiction though; I much prefer
>    real-time audio or video comedy. Perhaps it's due to how I read
>    prose; there's a lack of what Steve Martin calls "Thai Ming" [*]_
>    [*]_.

Hmm. Or how text-centred one is - much of my own sense of humour is
based around word-play as such, which means that text-on-the-page works
well (and also means that the Goons, Firesign Theater, etc. are also
appreciated), and also means that other people often don't see why I
think something funny.

Of course, it may also be that everyone's taste is different - many of
the authors cited as "you'll love this if you love Pratchett" leave me
cold, and I can imagine the phenomenum working the other way around as
well.

> .. [*] Timing.
>
>    Get it? :-D
>
> .. [*] I'll add a note to the spec about the care that must be taken
>    with the order of footnotes and references when footnote references
>    are added inside footnotes. It's confusing; they can easily get out
>    of sync.

Hmm. I think that this example is itself enough to warn people to be
very careful about using autogenerated footnotes (of whatever sort - the
"*" could equally well be "#") in an other-than-trivial manner - two
anonymous footnotes in a row are confusing! On the other hand, I also
think it's relatively unlikely - I'd be much more likely to attach tags
to things if they are that complex. On the other other hand, if we're
going to allow generated footnote indices, I don't see a way to limit
it, so we'll have to cope.

> Also good points, and a good summary of the thinking process that has
> resulted in the current syntax. It's the art of balancing -- nay, of
> juggling! It certainly helps that there are multiple brains to cushion
> the impact whenever a juggling pin is missed [*]_.
>
> .. [*] I do love these grotesque mixed metaphors!

And the man says he doesn't like prose humour. Ho hum.

Tibs

--
Tony J Ibbs (Tibs)      http://www.tibsnjoan.co.uk/
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intro to Python for the ACCU Spring 2002 conference
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