Runester

OK, I will mention briefly that I have created another blog, and placed it on a subdomain. The link is over to the left, here’s another just because.
Fiction

You know what’s been bugging me for several years, now? Why don’t people use the “Definition List” tags in HTML? They’ve been there nearly from the beginning and are recognized by every browser I’ve tried … and they are damn usefull too. Still, everyone uses “Ordered Lists” and “Unordered Lists” but never “Definition Lists” … why?

Here are some examples of what I am talking about.

Unordered (or Bullet) List ~ Example

• First Item On List


• Second Item On List


• Third Item On List

Unordered (or Bullet) List ~ Source Code

<UL>

   <LI>First Item On List</LI>

   <LI>Second Item On List</LI>

   <LI>Third Item On List</LI>

</UL>

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Ordered List ~ Example

1. First Item On List


2. Second Item On List


3. Third Item On List

Ordered List ~ Source Code

<OL>

   <LI>First Item On List</LI>

   <LI>Second Item On List</LI>

   <LI>Third Item On List</LI>

</OL>

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Definition List ~ Example

First Defined Term

Definition for first term, note the indent. Definition for first term, note the indent.
Definition for first term, note the indent. Definition for first term, note the indent.
Definition for first term, note the indent. Definition for first term, note the indent.

Second Defined Term

Definition for second term, note the indent. Definition for second term, note the indent.
Definition for second term, note the indent. Definition for second term, note the indent.
Definition for second term, note the indent. Definition for second term, note the indent.

Third Defined Term

Definition for third term, note the indent. Definition for third term, note the indent.
Definition for third term, note the indent. Definition for third term, note the indent.
Definition for third term, note the indent. Definition for third term, note the indent.

Definition List ~ Code Source


<DL>

<DT>First Defined Term</DT>

<DD>Definition for first term, note the indent. Definition for first term, note the indent.

Definition for first term, note the indent. Definition for first term, note the indent.

Definition for first term, note the indent. Definition for first term, note the indent.</DD>

<DT>Second Defined Term</DT>

<DD>Definition for second term, note the indent. Definition for second term, note the indent.

Definition for second term, note the indent. Definition for second term, note the indent.

Definition for second term, note the indent. Definition for second term, note the indent.</DD>

<DT>Third Defined Term</DT>

<DD>Definition for third term, note the indent. Definition for third term, note the indent.

Definition for third term, note the indent. Definition for third term, note the indent.

Definition for third term, note the indent. Definition for third term, note the indent.</DD>

</DL>

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See? That wasn’t so hard. So, if you work with HTML why not be a sport and find a use for a “Definition List” or two in your work? Cool!

Another thing that I just found out recently, that totally makes working with HTML much harder … is that they got rid of the <XML> tag. It used to allow you to include “Example” code, in other words, HTML code that was displayed as-is and not formatted at all. One example would be the code I list above. In the old days, I would have copied the same HTML into two places and wrapped one with the <XML> and </XML> tags and it would appear as I’ve formatted it. Instead, I had to manually adjust the HTML to make the tags available! Not only is there no more <XML> but there doesn’t seem to be a replacement either. Who voted for this? Why?

Pre-review of The Search for Zarathustra

I only have 100 pages left of this book, and it is quite excellant! I had dreaded starting it, thinking it would be very dry reading. Instead, it reads like a cross between a great story (the historical parts) and a fantastic travelogue … as the author has spent most of his life travelling to some very exotic places in the near and far east. I expect to be able to finish the book this weekend (and I’ll post a more complete review) and start my next book … Holes.