[atoav]

You mean footnotes? As they have been used for centuries in print?

The difference between them and a simple hyperlink is that they can and often will provide some additional context, that is out of the scope of the original text. Ideally on a website meant for computer screens you wouldn't have them on the end, but in the margins, next to the information, but for short stuff it is okay to put them at the end of the chapter – bonus points if the reference numbers can be clicked and take you to the foot note, extra bonus points if there is an arrow taking you up again.

But this is scientific literature style writing, not everything needs footnotes.

[Someone]

> The difference between them and a simple hyperlink is that they can and often will provide some additional context,

  <a href=“Foo” title=“go to Foo” />

will give you additional context on hover (on systems that support that)

[hk__2]

> will give you additional context on hover (on systems that support that)

"hover" has no meaning on touch-based interfaces.

[c22]

On my touch-based device a long-press seems to work the same as a hover.

[majewsky]

You should see the title text if you long-press on the link, no?

[hk__2]

On iOS it opens the link in an pop-in.

[tempfile]

That sounds even better?

[atoav]

Good to use I guess, but you can't rely on that with the likes of smartphones and tablets.

[efilife]

> The difference between them and a simple hyperlink is that they can and often will provide some additional context

It's possible to 'link' to a html tag, so the page jumps to the bottom, where the additional context is, much like wikipedia does

[atoav]

Yeah, if you read my post again, you will find that I mentioned this already.

[efilife]

Right, sorry. My only defense is that I just woke up half-dead

[atoav]

It happens to the best of us : )