Re: A proposal [PopUp Windows for Dictionary purposes]

An excellent suggestion! Such a mechanism would have a number of uses.

* Glossary type entries
* pseudo-footnotes
* Link info detail (i.e., a short comment expanding on the nature of
  a particular link to aid the reader in determining whether it was
  'worth the trip'.

   --- Ed Perrine

>Hi!
>
>I'm new to this list!
>
>I joined in just because I have a HTML proposal that I think is worth
>telling other people. I have included it here both as plain text and as an
>attachment (see the end of the text, if you have e.g netscape browser)!
>
>This document can be found at:
>        http://www.clinet.fi/~wes/popup.html
>
>---
>
>PopUp windows in HTML
>
>  A proposal by: Heikki Vesalainen, wes@clinet.fi
>
>  Index
>
>  In theory
>
>       What?
>       Why?
>       How?
>
>  In Practise
>
>       text.html
>       dictionary.html#MIDI
>       Rendering examples (pictures)
>
>  Contact Me
>
>
>
>                     In Theory
>
>  What?
>
>  I'm proposing a new HTML tag for "MS Windows Help" style
>  small popup windows in HTML.
>
>  The popup windows would be activated in the same way as links,
>  but instead of a new page, only a small popup windows would
>  appear.
>
>  The size of the popup window could be preadjusted by the author
>  of the HTML document, and readjusted by the viewer.
>
>  The popup windows would contain text and graphics in normal
>  HTML. Links in popup windows would be targetted to a new
>  browser.
>
>                                      [Back up to index]
>
>  Why?
>
>  Popup windows are neaded by all sorts of guides, manuals and
>  scientific text, containing words that nead explaining.
>
>  Popup windows are usefull for accessing vocabulary or a
>  dictionary from a document.
>
>                                      [Back up to index]
>
>  How?
>
>  Netscape 2.0 HTML (NHTML) already provides a target
>  function with the A HREF tag. A new magic target could be set
>  for the purpose. The size of the popup window would be set with
>  width and if necessary height.
>
>  The new target would be named "_popup".
>
>  For example:
>
>  <A HREF="dictionary.html#MIDI" target="_popup"
>  width="25%">MIDI</A>
>
>  When MIDI is pressed a popup window with the width of 25% of
>  the original browsers width would pop up displaying the HTML
>  starting from dictionary.html's anchor name MIDI (<A
>  NAME="MIDI">) and ending to the </A> tag.
>
>  By using the existing A HREF tag for popup windows,
>  compatibility with even level 0 browsers could be achieved. The
>  browsers that wouldn't have popup window support, would load
>  the dictionary in the same way as any other link.
>
>                                      [Back up to index]
>
>
>
>                    In Practise
>
>  Example codes and pictures of rendering
>
>  text.html
>
>       <HTML>
>       <HEAD></HEAD>
>       <BODY>
>       .
>       .
>       .
>       <H3>Music & Computers</H3>
>       <P>
>       Making music with computers is fairly easy. All you
>       really have to do is to start your
>       <A HREF="dictionary.html#MIDI"
>       TARGET="_popup" WIDTH=400>MIDI</A>
>       programme and start playing.
>       <P>
>       .
>       .
>       .
>       </BODY>
>       </HTML>
>
>                                      [Back up to index]
>
>  dictionary.html
>
>       <HTML>
>       <HEAD></HEAD>
>       <BODY>
>       .
>       .
>       .
>       this is not shown in the popup window
>       <A NAME="MIDI">
>       <B>MIDI</B> stands for <I>Musical Intrument
>       Digital Interface</I>.<BR>
>       - It is a standard for digital music devices, such as
>       electric pianos, sound modules and sequencer
>       programmes.
>       </A>
>       this is not shown in the popup window
>       .
>       .
>       .
>       </BODY>
>       </HTML>
>
>                                      [Back up to index]
>
>  Rendering
>
>  text.html is rendered normally:
>
>        [check the pictures from http://www.clinet.fi/~wes/popup.html]
>
>  dictionary.html#MIDI is being rendered to a popup window:
>
>        [check the pictures from http://www.clinet.fi/~wes/popup.html]
>
>                                      [Back up to index]
>
>  How to contact me?
>
>  By far the best way to contact me is by email: wes@clinet.fi
>
>  My snailmail address is:
>
>       Heikki Vesalainen
>       Riihiuunintie 12 c
>       02620 Espoo
>       Finland
>
>  And my telephone number is:
>
>       +358-(9)0-592935
>
>  I can be contacted in the evenings (17.00 - 21.00 Finnish time).
>
>  You can also visit my homepage at http://www.clinet.fi/~wes
>
                 [HTML version deleted to save space. elp2]


*   Edward L. Perrine, II   |   Macintosh/Windows Software Development,   *
*   eperrine@nettally.com   |   Systems Analysis & Customer Support       *

Received on Thursday, 14 March 1996 15:53:37 UTC