{"id":919,"date":"2012-10-08T09:40:53","date_gmt":"2012-10-08T16:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/?p=919"},"modified":"2013-01-05T01:53:09","modified_gmt":"2013-01-05T06:53:09","slug":"the-other-debate-footnote-vs-hyperlink","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/?p=919","title":{"rendered":"The Other Debate: Footnote vs. Hyperlink"},"content":{"rendered":"\"\"<\/a>\n

I work with a team of researchers. \u00a0I am old (over fifty) and my colleagues are young (twentysomethings). \u00a0I prefer my research that has footnotes. \u00a0You know, those things with numbers and text at the end of the page or article. \u00a0They prefer to use hyperlinks, the stuff you click on to get to a web site.<\/p>\n

Suffice it to say it has been a challenge for both sides. \u00a0So in the spirit of fair play, I tried to imagine a debate – debates are pretty popular these days – between a Footnote and a Hyperlink.<\/p>\n

You tell me who you think wins.<\/p>\n

Footnote<\/strong>– I don’t get it. \u00a0As best I can tell the biggest distinction you guys have is that you’re underlined and in a different colored font. \u00a0That’s it. \u00a0I look at you and you tell me nothing.<\/p>\n

Hyperlink<\/strong>– We’re highlighted so people know that with just a click they can get to the real source. \u00a0Jeez. \u00a0You old folks. \u00a0You know, you should get out more. \u00a0Take a walk or something. \u00a0Oh! \u00a0How about this? \u00a0How about going on the \u00a0Internet? \u00a0Ever heard of that? \u00a0Why waste type space with the endless dribble that you Footnotes put us through when you can take people straight to the source.<\/p>\n

Footnote<\/strong>– Funny. \u00a0Well, not really funny. \u00a0More like impertinent. \u00a0Sad, really. \u00a0You young folks have an amazing ability to think you are the center of the universe. \u00a0That you know everything. \u00a0A bunch of baby Jesus’ out there walking around like you’re God’s gift to the planet. \u00a0Look, I like the Internet as much as anyone. \u00a0But what if there’s no 4G or WiFi? \u00a0And God forbid what if someone is reading this on a piece of paper? \u00a0What good is your “click” for then? \u00a0I’ll give you a hint. \u00a0Bupkiss!<\/p>\n

Hyperlink<\/strong>– Dude, if you can’t afford to find a Starbucks<\/a> <\/strong>then I don’t know if you should be reading. \u00a0I mean, really, even McDonalds<\/a> <\/strong>has WiFi now. \u00a0Reading something on a piece of paper? \u00a0Please. \u00a0People used to read on clay tablets and scrolls. \u00a0You guys are still killing trees. \u00a0I bet you still use one of those 20lb telephone books. \u00a0Wake up grandpa. \u00a0Today people read on devices.<\/p>\n

\n

Footnote<\/strong>– People can read on whatever they want to. \u00a0That doesn’t bother me. \u00a0But at least with a footnote people get information. \u00a0You know, minor details like “author”, “date of publication”, “title”. \u00a0All that used to be important. \u00a0Check that; all that is still important. \u00a0At least for people who are more interested in the truth and real research, not just tricking \u00a0people into clicking on someone’s web site.<\/p>\n

\n

Hyperlink<\/strong>– Excuse me?! \u00a0While you’re sitting there in your wheelchair, I take people to the source. \u00a0Directly. \u00a0One click and boom. \u00a0You’re right at the source material. \u00a0In short, I actually do something. \u00a0You just sit there.<\/p>\n

Footnote<\/strong>– You know, sometimes just sitting there is a good thing. \u00a0You might learn a thing or two by staying in one place, focusing and thinking about one topic longer than five seconds. \u00a0And please, spare the diatribe about source material and sending folks to “the source”. \u00a0Half the time when I click on you guys all I get is crap – stock symbols, press releases and a wikipedia entry. \u00a0Frankly, I don’t need your help to figure that out. \u00a0More often than not you “sources” are about as helpful as cheese sandwich to a drowning ferret<\/a><\/strong>.<\/div>\n
\n

Hyperlink<\/strong>– You just don’t get it do you. \u00a0It is about convenience and variety. \u00a0That is what people want today. \u00a0They want to be able to navigate sources without having go through the equivalent of a card catalogue. \u00a0And they want a variety of sources. \u00a0People like the offbeat, non-traditional perspective.<\/p>\n

Footnote<\/strong>– Variety. \u00a0That’s a nice way to put it. \u00a0Others call it “promescuity”. \u00a0You hyperlinks will hook up with \u00a0just about anything or any body any time. \u00a0That is why you’ve got so many HTDs – hyperlinked transmitted diseases.<\/p>\n

Hyperlink<\/strong>– Look, there’s protection for that. \u00a0And besides, hyperlinking is a good workout. \u00a0Please spare me the lecture on abstinence. \u00a0That’s been a great success, hasn’t it! \u00a0We’re way beyond that old man. \u00a0And please don’t tell me that all footnotes are pure. \u00a0I’ve heard stories. \u00a0Phantom publications. Footnote loading. \u00a0You guys have your issues.<\/p>\n

Footnote<\/strong>– But at least we give people something. \u00a0We’re transparent. \u00a0We lay it all out. \u00a0 Transparency, now there’s a word I hear a lot from you young folk. \u00a0Only problem – actually it isn’t the only problem just one of many – like in most things you guys don’t practice what you preach. \u00a0You guys are about as open as a Swiss banker. \u00a0And like a Swiss banker you’re more often than not laundering someone else’s trash. \u00a0At least with a footnote people know what they’re getting in to.<\/p>\n

Hyperlink<\/strong>– Boring!<\/p>\n

Footnote<\/strong>– (With a chuckle) I think you’ll find that as you get old boring is very under-rated.<\/p>\n

Hyperlink<\/strong>– \u00a0O.K. \u00a0I’ll give you that. \u00a0Sometimes the hyperlink thing gets tiring. \u00a0And sure, there are a lot of hyperlinks out there that get carried away and end up doing some pretty silly things. \u00a0Chaulk it up to youthful indiscretion.<\/p>\n

Footnote<\/strong>– Some? \u00a0Silly? \u00a0I’d say so. \u00a0Look, I think you’re a fine young man. \u00a0You seem to want to do the right thing. \u00a0And sure, there are a lot of us footnotes that have spent a bit too much time on the sofa. \u00a0We’d do well to get out there and have a bit more exercise.<\/p>\n

Hyperlink<\/strong>– A bit? \u00a0Dude you’re a heart attack waiting to happen. \u00a0I’m telling you, this Internet and connectivity thing isn’t slowing down. \u00a0You need to get your game on. \u00a0Check that. \u00a0Just get in the game.<\/p>\n

Footnote<\/strong>– So how about this, next time I reference source material I’ll ask one of your buddies to hyperlink to it? \u00a0How about that?<\/p>\n

Hyperlink<\/strong>– Sure. \u00a0Too bad when people mouse over us we can’t do your schtick – the whole author, publication, date thing. \u00a0Maybe someone will figure that out in the next rev. \u00a0We’re always being update and rewritten you know.<\/p>\n

Footnote<\/strong>– I’ll give you the contact information for the folks at the Chicago Style Manual. \u00a0Maybe they can get together with your programmer types.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I work with a team of researchers. \u00a0I am old (over fifty) and my colleagues are young (twentysomethings). \u00a0I prefer my research that has footnotes. \u00a0You know, those things with numbers and text at the end of the page or article. \u00a0They prefer to use hyperlinks, the stuff you click on to get to a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[156],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=919"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":945,"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/919\/revisions\/945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}