Monday, July 24, 2006

Do You Follow the Dotted Line?

I just put up a page on my web site, about one way to present abbreviations and their definitions.

Here's an example: YMMV, depending on your browser.

If you let your mouse hover above the "ymmv" text, the pointer should change shape and a tooltip should pop up, containing the expansion of the abbreviation.

If you use Internet Explorer, you probably won't see anything special. Read Note 4 for more details.

Here's the idea: I want to make the abbreviation stand out, to indicate that more information is available. I want it to be distinct from a link, since the information is available without a visit to another page. I do love me some obscure abbreviations and acronyms, and I know that's a little annoying to the less geeky, so I like to provide the translation.

Assuming you don't use IE, what do you think of the appearance? I've tried other approaches in earlier posts, but they involved links, plain underlines, or parenthetical remarks (which I already overuse).

If you're already comfortable reading over things like PEBKAC, does the dotted underlining annoy you? Assume that I won't overuse it.

Constructive criticism is welcome from all, as always. Nonconstructive criticism may provoke return flaming. Deconstructive criticism may initiate a non-terminating series of incomprehensible rejoinders.

Thanks!

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