Re: [docbook] DocBook Annotations

[Camille =?utf-8?q?B=C3=A9gnis?= <camille@neodoc.biz>]

Hello,

On Sunday 13 February 2005 00:01, Norman Walsh wrote:
> Annotations
> -----------
>
> This note proposes to add two elements to DocBook for the purpose of
> annotations. The first, alt, is intended for simple, inline
> annotations. Often these annotations are for accessibility.

What bothered me at first sight was the semantic meaning to give to the 
content marked as "alt".
Could it be interpreted as "additional information to better understand the 
content of the parent element"?

> The 
> second, annotation, is intended for larger, block annotations.

Shouldn't this replace, at some point, elements like "footnote"?

> These elements are "ubiquitous", appearing in almost all contexts
> where text can occur.
>
> alt
> ---
>
> alt - a text-only annotation, often used for accessibility
>
> An alternative text description of an element.
>
> Processing expectations
> -----------------------
>
> An alt contains an alternative text description of an element, for example,
> a text description of a small graphic, the expansion of an acronym, or
> the title of a link. The alt element is never rendered in the normal flow
> of the text.
>
> Examples
> --------
>
> <para>The <acronym>OASIS<alt>Organization for the Standardization
> of Structured Information Standards</alt></acronym> DocBook
> <acronym>TC<alt>Technical Committee</alt></acronym> is responsible
> for maintaining the DocBook schemas.</para>
>
>
> annotation
> ----------
>
> annotation - a comment about, or explanation of, an element
>
> Processing expectations
> -----------------------
>
> An annotation contains a comment, explanation, or other description of
> an element. Annotations are not intended to be rendered in the normal
> flow of the text. In an interactive environment, they may be rendered
> as links or popups. In a non-interactive environment such as
> traditional printed media, they may be rendered as marginalia, end
> notes, footnotes, or even be suppressed entirely.
>
> Examples
> --------
>
> <para>Modern browsers display acronym expansions and link titles as
> “<phrase>tool tips<annotation>
> <title>Tool Tips</title>
> <para>A tool tip is a word or short phrase displayed automatically by
> an application when the user hovers the mouse over some component in the
> user interface.</para></annotation></phrase>”.</para>
>
>                                         Be seeing you,
>                                           norm

-- 
Camille Bégnis
NeoDoc Cofounder
http://neodoc.biz