From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.2 (2018-09-13) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.8 required=5.0 tests=HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS, MAILING_LIST_MULTI,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.2 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (minnie.tuhs.org [45.79.103.53]) by inbox.vuxu.org (OpenSMTPD) with ESMTP id 53b9ff46 for ; Tue, 28 Jan 2020 20:09:56 +0000 (UTC) Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id DF80E9CB1E; Wed, 29 Jan 2020 06:09:54 +1000 (AEST) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 98D749CB04; Wed, 29 Jan 2020 06:09:27 +1000 (AEST) Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id 18D679CB04; Wed, 29 Jan 2020 06:09:24 +1000 (AEST) Received: from mail.cs.dartmouth.edu (mail.cs.dartmouth.edu [129.170.212.100]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 80A4D9CB03 for ; Wed, 29 Jan 2020 06:09:23 +1000 (AEST) Received: from coolidge.cs.dartmouth.edu (coolidge.cs.dartmouth.edu [129.170.213.217]) by mail.cs.dartmouth.edu (8.15.2/8.15.2) with ESMTPS id 00SK9L5s962644 (version=TLSv1.3 cipher=TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384 bits=256 verify=NO) for ; Tue, 28 Jan 2020 15:09:21 -0500 Received: from coolidge.cs.dartmouth.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by coolidge.cs.dartmouth.edu (8.15.2/8.15.2) with ESMTP id 00SK9LIY771563 for ; Tue, 28 Jan 2020 15:09:21 -0500 Received: (from doug@localhost) by coolidge.cs.dartmouth.edu (8.15.2/8.15.2/Submit) id 00SK9Lnr771562 for tuhs@tuhs.org; Tue, 28 Jan 2020 15:09:21 -0500 From: Doug McIlroy Message-Id: <202001282009.00SK9Lnr771562@coolidge.cs.dartmouth.edu> Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2020 15:09:21 -0500 To: tuhs@tuhs.org User-Agent: Heirloom mailx 12.5 7/5/10 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: Re: [TUHS] man pages, defensive programming, and bibliographic X-BeenThere: tuhs@minnie.tuhs.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.26 Precedence: list List-Id: The Unix Heritage Society mailing list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: tuhs-bounces@minnie.tuhs.org Sender: "TUHS" > Always use '\&' (a non-printing, zero width character) to > make it clear to the software, that the _function_ of the > character next to it, is neither a sentence-terminating nor > a control one. It is unfortunate that such advice has to be given. One should not have to defend against stupid AI. This is one of only two really unfortunate design choices (in my opinion) in original [nt]roff. (The other is beginning a new page when the vertical position reaches--as distinct from definitively passing--the bottom of a page.) If AI is used, it should be optional. I happen not to like double-width intersentence space, but it keeps getting foisted on me essentially at random. Instead of fattening the manual with annoying duties like that quoted above, I suggest fattening it with a new request, "turn on/off doubling of spaces between apparent sentences", or "put at least the specified space between apparent sentences". One can still use \&, but then it's for a chosen purpose, not just defense against gremlins. Incidentally, "next to" in the quoted advice must be read with care. Sometimes it means before, sometimes after. ------------------------------------------------------------ In this old AI-induced trouble I see a cautionary lesson for paragraph-based line breaking. fmt(1) is an existing program that tries to do this. On unjustified text (i.e. all text handled by fmt) it produces paragraphs of different "optimal" widths, which can be even more distracting than unusually ragged right margins. Doug