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Date: Tue, 18 Jul 1995 15:13:39 +0200
From: Chris Rowley <C.A.Rowley@OPEN.AC.UK>
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To: Multiple recipients of list LATEX-L <LATEX-L@VM.URZ.UNI-HEIDELBERG.DE>
Subject: Re: 4 small packages of basic 2e code made available
Status: R

I should like to pick up from the two desiderata Matt suggested:

> 1) it is very desirable for every user to be easily able to get an
> identical dvi file from this document.
>
> 2) it is very desirable for an
> individual user or site to be able to easily get a different dvi
> file from the same document.

I agree with these but would add a third that is consequent on these
two and at least equally desirable:

3) it is then essential that everyone involved clearly knows which of these
equally desirable choices is (or was) made.

This involves a clear distinction being made between invoking standard
LaTeX and invoking anything else on it, at least at the following three
stages:

a:  When the command/menu-item is invoked: the act of using
    non-standard LaTeX must be clearly distinguished;
b:  When the file is being processed: the use of non-standard LaTeX
    must be clearly proclaimed to the user;
c:  When the log-file is examined: what is written at the beginning of
    the log file must clearly show when non-standard LaTeX has been
    used.

There may well be other important ways in which the distinction
should be made clear; but we do need to agree that, if both 1) and 2)
are to be supported then 3) is essential.


chris