Received: by nummer-3.proteosys id <01C19443.A259A25C@nummer-3.proteosys>; Thu, 3 Jan 2002 11:44:35 +0100 In-Reply-To: David_Rhead@VME.NOTT.AC.UK's message of Wed, 18 Mar 92 13:06:33 GMT<4851.9203182039@m1.cs.man.ac.uk> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----_=_NextPart_001_01C19443.A259A25C" Return-Path: X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.5 x-vm-v5-data: ([nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil][nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil]) Content-class: urn:content-classes:message Subject: {1} {1} Transition from LaTeX 2.09 to LaTeX 3.0 Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1992 11:33:03 +0100 Message-ID: X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: From: "David Carlisle" Sender: "LaTeX-L Mailing list" To: "Multiple recipients of" Reply-To: "LaTeX-L Mailing list" Status: R X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 624 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C19443.A259A25C Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable As someone else pointed out, one could take the view that the latex3 team should aim to produce a good TeX format package, the name is not so important. There are several advantages to calling the package latex3 however, one of which is that a large body of users will automatically switch to the new format. (A different group of users would switch if the package was called plain4 :-) ) So if the package is called latex3 to attract current users to the system, there ought to be some attempt to ease the transition. For me one of the main uses of latex is as an information storage system. TeX is the best way I know of storing mathematical thoughts on a machine. Of course it is also important that it produces nice typeset output, but this is not always the primary reason for using TeX. Most mathematical journals re-set the material anyway. To sum up I think it is important that latex3 has some form of backwards compatability option. This should be able to process latex209 documents *error free*, it is not really necessary that the documents should look the same, and probably the different output routine, and better article.sty etc will mean that the printed output is quite different. Just keeping latex209 around for a year or two does not solve this problem, and in any case might not be too popular with PC owners with 95% full 30M hard disks. David On the other hand, I personally would use the new format if it had zero-compatibility with latex, and was called mittelbachtex.fmt. Unfortunately this name does not fit into the DOS file system. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C19443.A259A25C Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable {1} {1} Transition from LaTeX 2.09 to LaTeX 3.0


As someone else pointed out, one could take the view = that the latex3
team should aim to produce a good TeX format package, = the name is not
so important. There are several advantages to calling = the package
latex3 however, one of which is that a large body of = users will
automatically switch to the new format. (A different = group of users
would switch if the package was called plain4 :-) = )

So if the package is called latex3 to attract current = users to the
system, there ought to be some attempt to ease the = transition. For me
one of the main uses of latex is as an information = storage system. TeX
is the best way I know of storing mathematical = thoughts on a machine.
Of course it is also important that it produces nice = typeset output,
but this is not always the primary reason for using = TeX. Most
mathematical journals re-set the material = anyway.

To sum up I think it is important that latex3 has some = form of
backwards compatability option. This should be able = to process
latex209 documents *error free*, it is not really = necessary that the
documents should look the same, and probably the = different output
routine, and better article.sty etc will mean that = the printed output
is quite different.

Just keeping latex209 around for a year or two does = not solve this
problem, and in any case might not be too popular = with PC owners with
95% full 30M hard disks.


David

On the other hand, I personally would use the new = format if it had
zero-compatibility with latex, and was called = mittelbachtex.fmt.
Unfortunately this name does not fit into the DOS = file system.


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