Re: [tdf-discuss] Question about proposing the creation of a new format

On Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 6:59 PM, CaStarCo <castarco@gmail.com> wrote:
What you are proposing basically sounds like latex.  But you need to
be careful to separate out the format from the software that reads the
format.  Stuff like sorting tables, choosing layouts, choosing colors,
inserting other text, linking to other resources, that all has to be
handled by the program.  The format just need to provide the right
information to allow the software to do this.

> · Alternative reading flows ( I tell the "reader" that i want to understand
> a paragraph, then the reader constructs for me the minimum text that lets me
> to understand what I want... obviously, not with magic and not with an
> exceptional IA, we can add metadata that stablish depency relations between
> paragraphs... for example).

This requires the text be stored in a manner that makes it easy to
change the flow.  The flow itself would be determined by the software.
 This is the whole point of latex.

> · Indexes created automaticly from the text structure, on the fly, not in
> writer time.
> · Special tags for special words (or phrases), such as definitions,
> theorems, proofs... -> the possibility of create automaticly (in reading
> time) tables of many parts of the content (such as an automatic studying
> summary or resume). In technic or scientific books could be very
> interesting. This lets to separate the narrative of a book of the capable of
> being systematized data: definitions, theorems, proofs, formulas, tables,
> graphs, figures...

These are the same thing.  There would just need to be a tag for "put
this in the index with this label".  I assume latex can do this.

> · The capability of sorting data tables by many parameters (growing or
> decreasing order, by column, by row..) (with limitations, if the writter
> decides to lock the entire table or parts of it, then without that
> capability) -> this lets to looks at the data following the way that helps
> us more without having to do the work of rmanually rewriting tables.

This would be in the software, rather than the format.  The format
would just need to be able to store tables as actual tables, rather
than as text with lines.

> · Contextual data without context changes: usually, if we want to remember
> what means a word, we have to go back in the text, or click an anchor... if
> we are lucky, we have tabs, in other cases we have to deal with many windows
> or with the "go back" button. A solution could be modyfing the layout in
> reading time (i suppose that the ebooks have liquid layout to suit better in
> many different devices): If i want to read about a word, and i have the luck
> that the word is defined in the same book, a solution could be that a bubble
> apears in above the word with the definition written inside. (moving the
> text to avoid hiding the closer text). This lets to read the definition
> without losing the context in wich we found it, and helping the reader to
> understand it.

This would be in the software, rather than the file format.  The
format would just need to be able to store text and pictures in such a
way that it is easy to change their flow without breaking things.
Latex can do this.

> · Reading profiles: many times, depending on the device what are we using,
> it's preferible to use an image or other (because contrast, size,
> colors...). In the PC there are no problems, but if "we" want to expand the
> usage of the format, it's important to convice the devices industry.

This would be part of the software rather than the file format.  Once
again, the format would need to store text in a way that it is easy to
change basic properties without breaking the layout.  Latex can do
this.

> · The capability of "hyperlinking" books by it's identificator (not URL)...
> I'm thinking in something like IABN (it's similar to ISBN, but more
> "universal", based on SHA256).

This wouldn't be in the format.  The format would could have a way to
store unique identifiers for certain works, but actually looking up
that work would depend on the software.

> · The capability of distinguish between many types of specialized data, such
> as formulas, musical scores, source code, flow diagrams, and many others.

Sounds like latex

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