[9fans] Re: off topic: troff book

[Jim Choate <ravage@ssz.com>]

On Sun, 7 Jan 2001, Boyd Roberts wrote:

> From: Steve Kilbane <steve@whitecrow.demon.co.uk>
> > 
> > Hold on. TeX and LaTeX have their good and bad points, but exactly
> > how did they screw up in ways that troff didn't? Off the top of my
> > head, the only thing that comes to mind is that troff would read
> > from stdin, while tex would insist on a named file, getting in the
> > way of pipelining. But that's more a style of use, rather than of
> > the systems themselves.
> 
> they could read /dev/drum for all i care.
> 
> they are _ghastly_.
> 
> my 'lamport was a screwhead' comes from my two years at PRL.
> 
> lame defense, but i'm entitled to my opinon.
> 
> if tex was so great, where was the need for latex?

http://www.latex-project.org/intro.html

The relation is 'language definition' and 'compiler implimentation'.

I use Scientific Notebook which combines LaTeX and Maple V. Very cool for
a technical doodle pad. Strongly suggested for all students. less than
$100. I don't work for the company or receive any sort of payment, just my
opinion.

    ____________________________________________________________________

           Before a larger group can see the virtue of an idea, a
           smaller group must first understand it.

                                           "Stranger Suns"
                                           George Zebrowski

       The Armadillo Group       ,::////;::-.          James Choate
       Austin, Tx               /:'///// ``::>/|/      ravage@ssz.com
       www.ssz.com            .',  ||||    `/( e\      512-451-7087
                           -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'-
    --------------------------------------------------------------------