The INS and DEL Tags
The HTML ins and del tags can be used when you wish to display editing revisions. The ins tag underlines inserted text, and the del tag strikes through deleted text.
To display text that is inserted, put the text between the open and closing ins tag: <ins>text</ins>
To display text that is deleted, put the text between the open and closing del tag: <del>text</del>
Demonstration:
The inserted text is highlighted with an underline.
The deleted text is shown with a strikethrough.
The <ins>inserted text</ins> is highlighted with an underline.<br> The <del>deleted text</del> is shown with a strikethrough.
Example of use:
Will enjoys loves his writing time.
Will <del>enjoys</del> <ins>loves</ins> his writing time.
Although the tags can be used for actual editing marks, I see them employed most often to contrast or emphasize an idea.
Actual editing marks would be used to show someone what text is or will be added and what text is or will be deleted. The marks themselves would be cleaned up before going live. Cleaning up means removing the <ins> and </ins> tags and also removing the tags and enclosing text from <del> to </del>.
Contrasting or emphasizing an idea generally compares two interpretations; one is marked as deleted and the other is marked as inserted. There would be no cleaning up to do there because the emphasis is intended to be published that way.
The HTML ins and del tags come in mighty handy to display editing marks and to emphasize ideas.
(This article first appeared with an issue of the Possibilities newsletter.)
Will Bontrager
