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WWW Style Guide


Make your (hyper)text readable

This is just a little rant about two style issues in hypertext that I'm seeing more of and don't like much.

The first is the _here_ syndrome, e.g.:

	Information about Blah Blah Blah is available by clicking _here_.

where the word _here_ is the link. This style is really awkward; when you click on 'here', you have to look around to make sure it is the *right* here. Let me urge you, when you construct your HTML page, to make sure that the thing-you-click is actually some kind of title for what it is when you click there. E.g. say

	Information about _Blah Blah Blah_ is now available.

And use:

	Information on _how to do searches_ is available.

instead of

	For information on how to do searches, choose _this link_

.Not quite as bad, but still awkward is where someone will use a topic word as a link, but it still talks about the links:

   	Here are links to a _CREDITS_ page and _technical details_ ...

Instead, try to write something like

   	Many thanks go to _various people_ for their contributions.

_Technical details_ of this system are available now.I.e., make your HTML page such that you can read it even if you don't follow any links.


(Up to within each document, back to printable text, on to not talking about mechanics)
Contributed by Larry Masinter