title This is Dumbdown. The keyword for title is title.
subtitle Dumbdown compiles to html.
paragraph Dumbdown is an alternative to Markdown.

paragraph Blank lines get turned into <br>

link https://treenotation.org/ It is built on Tree Notation

code
 alert(`The keyword for code blocks is "code"`)

list
 item Dumbdown supports lists
 item For now the keyword for an item is "item"
 item This is a very early version
 item Dumbdown is released to the public domain
 item If you want to make it better, please do!

The original prototype: https://jtree.treenotation.org/designer/#standard%20dumbdown

An actual v1 spec is now in the discussion phase.

• Do you want a markup language that doesn't require memorizing esoteric symbols but uses words instead?

• Do you want a markup langauge where you not only don't have to remember which order brackets go in— is it ()[] or —but that doesn't use brackets at all?!

• Do you want a markup language that is extensible, so you can store your own custom config data right alongside your content?

• Do you want a markup language where it is super easy to embed any kind of data or code without doing adding escape characters?

• Do you want a markup language that you could write your own parser for without having to learn complex parsing techniques?

If you answered YES to the questions above, then Dumbdown is for you?!

1. Keywords instead of key characters. ie "title" instead of "#".
2. No brackets. Links are just "link", or type the full url for inline links.
3. Stick your own custom config data in. Every file parses to a map. i.e. "published true".
4. No need to escape characters for snippets. Just indent blocks.
5. Very easy to write your own parsers for. It's just Tree Notation.

Currently: Discussing spec for v1.

Goal by January, 2022: Ship a final v1 spec

Note: this Readme.md file is written in markdown, but if someone wants to work on Dumbdown syntax highlighting for GitHub, once we have a spec, that would be great!

Issue is here: breck7#1

• Version 0.2 01/20/2021 -- Let's make this a real thing. Readme and GitHub project started.
• Version 0.1 09/01/2019 -- Prototype and idea first launched.

breck7 is currently the BDFL: Benevolent Dummy For Life. But if you feel like you can be a better Dummy, please either fork this project and prove it, or just get involved and stage a peaceful coup. Breck would happily relinguish the BDFL title if a better Dummy comes along.

It should go without saying, but this is public domain.

Dumbdown is made with love in memory and honor of Aaron Swartz.

http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/001189