diff options
author | Norbert Preining <norbert@preining.info> | 2019-09-02 13:46:59 +0900 |
---|---|---|
committer | Norbert Preining <norbert@preining.info> | 2019-09-02 13:46:59 +0900 |
commit | e0c6872cf40896c7be36b11dcc744620f10adf1d (patch) | |
tree | 60335e10d2f4354b0674ec22d7b53f0f8abee672 /usergrps/uktug/baskervi/4_1/letters.tex |
Initial commit
Diffstat (limited to 'usergrps/uktug/baskervi/4_1/letters.tex')
-rw-r--r-- | usergrps/uktug/baskervi/4_1/letters.tex | 100 |
1 files changed, 100 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/usergrps/uktug/baskervi/4_1/letters.tex b/usergrps/uktug/baskervi/4_1/letters.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..eb8cb95cd8 --- /dev/null +++ b/usergrps/uktug/baskervi/4_1/letters.tex @@ -0,0 +1,100 @@ +\title{Letters to the editor} +\author{} +\begin{Article} + +\section{A \TeX\ front-end in \emph{NextStep}} + +Like most readers of \emph{Baskerville}, I greatly enjoyed +S.~Rahtz's survey of \TeX{} front-ends in the December 1993 +number. I noticed that he had not mentioned one very +interesting and useful such system---Tom Rokicki's +implementations of \TeX{} for the \emph{NextStep} operating +system---and I am writing to briefly discuss its most interesting +features. \emph{NextStep} is a superior graphical user +interface that sits on top of BSD4.3 Unix. Now that NeXT has +ceased the manufacture of their trademark black Motorola +hardware, the Intel-486 implementation of \emph{NextStep} is +their flagship product. + +Although you can invoke `NeXT\TeX{}' via the usual command line, +the value of this \TeX{} lies in the integrated environment, +called \emph{\TeX{}View}, to which it belongs. Begin by preparing +a usual source file with a \verb|tex| extension, and double-click +to begin \TeX{}ing. \emph{\TeX{}View} automatically begins its +preview as soon as the first page is ready. That is, while +\TeX{} is still typesetting the remainder of the document, page 1 +is already there for your perusal. Simple mouse click commands +zoom this display and drag and scroll the preview image in the +preview window. \verb|dvips| is a part of \emph{\TeX{}View}, and +so it is possible to include color in your typesetting, and very +easily, too. \emph{NextStep} is built around Display +PostScript, so \emph{\TeX{}View} readily offers all PostScript +fonts in the document for onscreen display, and color if you use +a color monitor. Of course, included \verb|epsf| files are also +displayed. (Color is rendered in an appropriate shade of gray on +the typical PostScript b\&w printer.) There is an option for +`printing' to fax. + +I can't resist the temptation to note two extensions +Tom has added to \TeX{} proper. +If the first line of a source file is \verb|~&foo|, then the command +\begin{verbatim} + tex myfile +\end{verbatim} +invokes the format file \verb|&foo|; that is, it +is equivalent to the command \verb|tex &foo myfile|. +Output stream~18 will pipe commands to Unix. It's possible +to sort and input an index file (say) in +one fell swoop via commands like: + +{\footnotesize +\begin{verbatim} + \immediate\write18{mysort <index.raw >index.sort} + \input index.sort +\end{verbatim} +} + +\noindent in your source file. + +\signature{Alan Hoenig\\17 Bay Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743 USA\\ +\texttt{ajhjj@cunyvm.cuny.edu}} + +\section{Command line \TeX\ for ever} + +I notice from at least two articles in the current issue of +\BV\ (Vol.~3, No.~2) that there appears +to be some \emph{zeitgeist} within which the long-established, +traditional and highly logical method of using {\TeX} and its adjuncts +is brought into question; I refer, of course, to the articles +by R. Allan Reese (p.~3, col.~1, para.~-2), and by your esteemed +self (p.~4, col.~1, para.~-5). + +In particular, I wish to take issue with your assertion that: +``Every {\TeX} user knows that the traditional command-line way of +working (the `edit; compile; $\{$preview, print$\}$' cycle) is +far from ideal.'' +This assertion, Sir, is blatantly and demonstrably +flawed. There exists at least one {\TeX} user (and, I suggest Sir, +many many more) who is \emph {completely} satisfied with this +way of working, and who regards any and every attempt to protect +the intellectually-challenged from the realities of \emph {real} +computing by encapsulating trivial tasks in a so-called `development +environment' as a fruitless and totally misguided activity. + +\signature{I remain, Sir, your most humble and obedient servant:\\ +Philip Taylor.} + +P.S. I see that our esteemed sometime Chairman, Malcolm Clark, now has +a \emph{doppleganger} who is also contributing to the columns of \BV; +who is this pretender to the throne who dares assert ``We've been nice +guys for too long.''? + +\section{\protect\strikethrough{Jove} \LaTeX\ nods} + +I see from the current issue of \BV\ (Vol.~3, No.~2) that +the dotfill leaders for the table of contents no longer align; is this yet +another demonstration of the inferiority of {\LaTeX} when compared to the +Real Thing? + +\signature{I remain, Sir, Yours etc.,\\ Philip Taylor} +\end{Article} |