Allow direct comments on text rather than creating a new post.

[winksaville]

After editing #3 and markdown #12 another enhancement is to directly comment on words/pictures of the post. Something like code comments in github or Google Docs but fancier. For instance a "bubble/balloon" comment where you highlight some text (or image) and then type in a comment. When a reader "rolls-over" the item a balloon would pop up so it could be read. Of course you should be able to create a "thread" of balloons, i.e.

You should also be able to edit the post or create a new post and a balloon should be referable via a URI. For instance maybe the balloon comment was suggesting a change and author would like to reference the balloon comment.

[stuartmscott]

How would these "bubbles/balloons" be displayed on the website and in the digest?

Perhaps instead this would be a feature to simplify quote replies - be able to select a piece of text and then type a comment and the site automatically creates a reply with the selected text as a block quote, eg; If Alice posts "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit." and Bob selects 'Lorem ipsum' and comments "Nice dummy text!" the result would be;

Alice:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

Bob:
> Lorem ipsum
Nice dummy text!

[winksaville]

Definitely an issue and your suggestion seems plausible. But I would hope the "electronic" publishing medium" would be interactive enough to allow "pop ups". The "paper" from would obviously need some other solution.