[andrewheekin]

Hm, which features in particular are available in PDF or Epub that couldn't be replicated in Markdown? Everything I can think of (linking, headings, tables, image embedding) can also be done in Markdown. Not to mention embedded HTML could cover even more where Markdown is lacking (ex, subscript, superscript)

[Someone]

> Hm, which features in particular are available in PDF or Epub that couldn't be replicated in Markdown?

‘Markdown’ isn’t well defined, but here are a few that I think apply:

- headers and footers on pages

- starting chapters on a new page

- having pages, to start with

- tables where cells have multiple lines of content

- pages with multiple columns of text

- drop caps

- ‘watermarks’ on pages (e.g. a diagonal “Concept” below the text)

- centering or full justifying paragraphs

- multiple kinds of underlines.

- text colors

- control over character and line spacing

- embedded JavaScript (https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/applying-actions-scrip...)

- DRM :-) / :-(

> Not to mention embedded HTML could cover even more where Markdown is lacking

Yes, you could use that to include JavaScript for a PDF or ePub renderer and then render those on-page :-)

[pvg]

Once you're embedding HTML, you might as well just use HTML or something like it - you don't really get any advantage from Markdown. Markdown is supposed to make the (human) writing easier, a finished book needs good rendering on the target device - something richer markup is better suited for.

[para_parolu]

I immediately thought of “House of leaves”. That one is impossible for markdown unless you go full html+css.

But most classic literature can be just txt file (and it is)