groff
[Top][All Lists]
Advanced

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: [groff] Mapping of \(bu to MIDDLE DOT


From: Ralph Corderoy
Subject: Re: [groff] Mapping of \(bu to MIDDLE DOT
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2019 13:38:08 +0000

Hi Branden,

> The \z+o status quo seems to follow a pattern that makes sense for
> modified letterforms, i.e., \z'a; on a 7-bit ASCII, non-overstriking
> device, you want the "a" to "win", because it carries the more
> important semantic information.

Agreed.

> That reasoning does not hold for bullet substitutes, which simply need
> to stand out graphically (your argument for not using a middle dot or
> centered period, which may be as small as one pixel on some devices),
> and not be semantically confusable with text.

I think o is a better match to the intention than +.  I can see o and
realise it's a bullet whereas if I see + then I wonder if it is
signifying addition to something, e.g. a list of items, each starting
with +, suggests all of them whereas the items might actually be
choose-1-from-N.

I don't think this issue used to crop up much when ASCII was common as -
was used, just as with typewriters.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.



reply via email to

[Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread]