[Doc-SIG] lightweight markup: bullets

[Edward D. Loper]

> If we're reserving X<...> notation, let's use it uniformly:
> 
>      L<-> This is an unordered list item.
>      L<1> This is an ordered list item.
>      L<foo> This is a description list item.
>      L<When C<x==0>> This is a descriptive item with embedded code in
>      the description.

Perhaps.  The reason that I didn't do that is that the use of <...> or
L<...> for bullets is really very different from the use of X<...> for
coloring.  X<...> coloring is something that happens within a
paragraph..  L<...> is a structuring primitive..  For example, you
can't say::

   This makes L<no> sense.

But you can say::

   This I<does> make sense.

Of course, if we decided to use '{' and '}' instead of '<' and '>',
and used 'L{...}' instead of '{...}', then we could say that '{...}'
when not preceeded by a capitalized letter will have the '{' and '}'
rendered as braces (c.f., Guido's suggestion to allow things like
'C{x={1:2, 3:4}}'..

> > ...
> > The main disadvantage that I see is:
> >     - It's uglier than just using '-' or '1.'.
> 
> Ya, and I'm uglier than my sisters, but that's no argument for
> letting them write your docstrings <wink>.

The main reason for not just using something established like XML or
LaTeX is that they're too complex/ugly.  There's no point in having a
new markup language if it's also complex/ugly.. :) So I'd like to keep
this markup language as simple and clean as possible.  

-Edward