Add tables with pipes

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Currently pandoc's markdown tables are difficult to use with
proportionally spaced fonts, because they require lining up columns.
It might be worth adding an additional table syntax similar to that 
used by PHP Markdown Extra:

| Item      | Value |
| --------- | -----:|
| Computer  | $1600 |
| Phone     |   $12 |
| Pipe      |    $1 |

Here the columns would not have to line up.  A multiline variant could
also be added:

---------------------
| Item      | Value |
| --------- | -----:|
| Computer  | $1600 |
|           |       |
| Phone     |   $12 |
| jack      |       |
|           |       |
| Pipe      |    $1 |
---------------------

Original issue reported on code.google.com by fiddloso...@gmail.com on 4 Jan 2008 at 8:19

[GoogleCodeExporter]

anyway, it would be useful that the complete mardown extra syntax could be 
understood by pandoc

Original comment by codr...@gmail.com on 16 Feb 2011 at 3:01

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Although I do like Pandoc's table format in monospace, I think it very 
important that Pandoc support the PHP Markdown Extra format since that is also 
what MultiMarkdown supports and possibly John Gruber 
(http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/markdown-discuss/2009-February/001510.html). 

There are some good thoughts in this post by David Wheeler: 
http://justatheory.com/computers/markup/markdown-table-rfc.html. I do like the 
multiline variant given here better than the one Wheeler gives as it is 
visually clearer.

It seems that the main difference is those that use monospace in their editors 
versus those that use proportional fonts. Pandoc takes the attitude that you 
just can't do it unless you are using a monospaced editor font, but for those 
using proportional fonts, they can't practically use such a table format. I 
think, in the end, you're probably going to have to have both, since you're not 
going to get everyone to switch their fonts.

Original comment by u2mr2...@gmail.com on 4 Apr 2011 at 9:08