Message-ID:  <199811091339.IAA07992@hilbert.math.albany.edu>
Reply-To: Mailing list for the LaTeX3 project
              <LATEX-L@URZ.UNI-HEIDELBERG.DE>
Date:         Mon, 9 Nov 1998 08:39:05 -0500
From: "William F. Hammond" <hammond@CSC.ALBANY.EDU>
Sender: Mailing list for the LaTeX3 project
              <LATEX-L@URZ.UNI-HEIDELBERG.DE>
To: Multiple recipients of list LATEX-L
              <LATEX-L@URZ.UNI-HEIDELBERG.DE>
Subject:      Re: What is "base" LaTeX
Status: R

Phillip Helbig <helbig@man.ac.uk> writes in support of others arguing
for a bigger base set of commands and packages (corresponding to an
enlarged "LaTeX Companion"?).

An underlying issue that is not dealt with in these arguments is the
need for fully functional electronic access to libraries and archives.

Currently the only post 1985 technology implemented usefully for
the large preprint archive at LANL is TimBL's www.

People in public libraries can only read those articles in PDF, which
I view as an alternative to the public DVI standard.  (And, yes, DVI
may need some updating.)

Packages and styles designed to work in that environment need to be
done somewhat differently.  Listen to Sebastian.

                                   -- Bill