4 ms·

Markdown syntax is that a single underscore around words _like this_ renders it italicized.

by bern4444 4y ago

phailhaus 4y ago
Sure, but HN doesn't. I'm trying to understand why I see so many comments using underscores when only asterisks work.
- LeifCarrotson 4y ago
  I think it's a combination of Markdown being completely readable in plain text especially if you're familiar with the syntax and even if you're not. Similarly, I see a lot of people using TeX-style mathematics, it's not particularly readable but "The quadratic formula is $x=\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}$" is a decent way of representing the formula to people fluent in LaTeX even in plaintext conditions. I suppose there's also likely to be a bit of muscle memory where people accustomed to typing in Github/Stack Overflow/Reddit markdown use it on other systems, and even if they see it's not supported it's good enough to not need editing. I don't think it's particularly worthwhile to learn a new comment format (one that's not even linked or described in the comment editor, for that matter) for every site.
  - phailhaus 4y ago
    Aren't asterisks standard in Markdown syntax too?
- tingletech 4y ago
  this was also a common convention during the usenet news era
- thomasahle 4y ago
  _Underscores_ still work, even if they don't get converted into <u></u>, they convey the meaning just fine. Similar to how people use ">" to indicate quotes, even if it doesn't get special treatment by the editor.
  - phailhaus 4y ago
    Interesting. It doesn't work for me; I have to remember that underscores parse to italics and then "apply it in my head", rather than just reading italics, which gives them a distinctly different quality. For example, I just heard your response in my head as "Underscores still work", which is different from "Underscores still work." They also don't pop out as much when scanning text, as italics do visually. I have to spot the underscore before and after the word, and it really doesn't work if you try to emphasize more than one word. At least with the ">", it's at the beginning of the line and in a separate paragraph.

Markdown syntax is that a single underscore around words _like this_ renders it italicized.

phailhaus 4y ago

Sure, but HN doesn't. I'm trying to understand why I see so many comments using underscores when only asterisks work.

LeifCarrotson 4y ago
I think it's a combination of Markdown being completely readable in plain text especially if you're familiar with the syntax and even if you're not. Similarly, I see a lot of people using TeX-style mathematics, it's not particularly readable but "The quadratic formula is $x=\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}$" is a decent way of representing the formula to people fluent in LaTeX even in plaintext conditions. I suppose there's also likely to be a bit of muscle memory where people accustomed to typing in Github/Stack Overflow/Reddit markdown use it on other systems, and even if they see it's not supported it's good enough to not need editing. I don't think it's particularly worthwhile to learn a new comment format (one that's not even linked or described in the comment editor, for that matter) for every site.
- phailhaus 4y ago
  Aren't asterisks standard in Markdown syntax too?
tingletech 4y ago
this was also a common convention during the usenet news era
thomasahle 4y ago
_Underscores_ still work, even if they don't get converted into <u></u>, they convey the meaning just fine. Similar to how people use ">" to indicate quotes, even if it doesn't get special treatment by the editor.
- phailhaus 4y ago
  Interesting. It doesn't work for me; I have to remember that underscores parse to italics and then "apply it in my head", rather than just reading italics, which gives them a distinctly different quality. For example, I just heard your response in my head as "Underscores still work", which is different from "Underscores still work." They also don't pop out as much when scanning text, as italics do visually. I have to spot the underscore before and after the word, and it really doesn't work if you try to emphasize more than one word. At least with the ">", it's at the beginning of the line and in a separate paragraph.