From 5943b3063676d68381545e36a9903e1df278e923 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: t Date: Sat, 11 Jul 2026 11:42:23 -0600 Subject: initial commit: claude-designed site and project doc to staticly generate it going forward --- notes/plain-html.html | 70 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 70 insertions(+) create mode 100644 notes/plain-html.html (limited to 'notes/plain-html.html') diff --git a/notes/plain-html.html b/notes/plain-html.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d60275e --- /dev/null +++ b/notes/plain-html.html @@ -0,0 +1,70 @@ + + + + + +The case for plain HTML — notes — tjp.lol + + + + +
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~tjp $_

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← notes  /  tended · planted

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The case for plain HTML

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A note, not an essay — expect it to change. This page shows how a wiki note reads: internal [[wiki links]] render as underlined-dotted links, and a backlinks panel sits at the bottom.

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A hand-written HTML page is the most durable document format I know of that still looks like a document. It has no runtime, no dependencies, and no version that can go out of date. A file I wrote in 2004 opens today, pixel-for-pixel, in a browser that didn't exist then.

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This connects to Gemtext & the small web — both are bets that constraint outlives capability. See also How I take notes for why I keep the source in plain text.

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Things I no longer do

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  • Reach for a framework before there's a second page.
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  • Add a build step to save five keystrokes.
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  • Load a web font when the reader already owns a good one.
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The test

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Turn JavaScript off. If the page is worse, I've added fragility I have to maintain forever. If it's identical, I'm done. This whole site passes that test — see the colophon.

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Linked from

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