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+Date: 24 Dec 87 Message No: 003
+
+To: TeX implementors and distributors
+
+From: Barbara Beeton
+
+Subject: TeX 2.9, DVItype 2.9
+
+
+I've just received a message from Don Knuth regarding two messages I
+forwarded to him from TeXhax; both appeared in issue 103.
+
+Oliver Schoett, Negative column widths in \halign -- bug or feature?
+
+Chris Thompson, re the expansion of \csname...\endcsname to be \relax
+
+The reply:
+
+ Naturally I'm hoping to get the last bug out of TeX before the
+ bonus amount doubles next week!
+
+ The "bug or feature" discussed by Oliver Schoett is a feature.
+ I don't want to forbid negative widths, even though they
+ can be confusing in certain cases. Negative numbers have
+ proved to be useful even in accounting, so I hesitate to
+ say that they will never be desired.
+
+ On the other hand, Chris Thompson has found a bug; I can't argue
+ that the assignment should be global. Ergo, he wins the prize
+ and TeX moves to Version 2.9.
+
+Updates from TeX82.BUG, ERRATA.TeX and a list of differences between
+TeX.WEB 2.8 and 2.9 are given below.
+
+A point to ponder: What's the next number after 2.9?
+
+ --------------------
+
+A couple of items need to be cleaned up from earlier messages.
+
+In message 2, the underline _ and assignment := characters were reversed
+in item 336 of the extract from TeX82.BUG. This is an unfortunate result
+of my having erred in translating the idiosyncratic SAIL character set by
+hand instead of by a nice tested canned procedure. 336 is included in
+its correct form in the expanded extract below. Apologies, and thanks to
+Chris Thompson for pointing it out.
+
+The TeX bug fixed in version 2.7 (bug 335) has also been fixed in DVItype
+version 2.9. A difference list between DVItype 2.8 and 2.9 appears below.
+
+ --------------------
+
+Extract from TeX82.BUG
+
+336. If there are no \patterns and some \lccode is 1 (Breitenlohner, 12Dec87)
+@x module 952
+trie_link(0):=0; trie_char(0):=0; trie_op(0):=0;
+@y
+trie_link(0):=0; trie_char(0):=0; trie_op(0):=min_quarterword;
+@z
+
+337. \csname might encounter undefined_cs in a group (Chris Thompson, 23Dec87)
+@x module 372
+ begin eqtb[cur_cs]:=eqtb[frozen_relax];
+@y
+ begin eq_define(cur_cs,relax,256);
+@z
+
+338. (I sincerely hope that there won't be any more)
+
+ --------------------
+
+Extracts from ERRATA.TeX (differences as compared with previous version)
+
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.NEW.2, 2-3 (1510)
+\bugonpage A213, lines 34--35 (12/23/87)
+
+\ninepoint\noindent
+text will be a single control sequence token, defined to be like |\relax| if
+its meaning is currently undefined.
+
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.TEX.73, 2-2 (1508)
+***************
+
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.NEW.2, 3-6 (3474)
+\bugonpage B2, line 32 (12/23/87)
+
+\ninepoint\noindent\hskip10pt
+{\bf define} $\\{banner}\equiv\hbox{\tt\char'23}$%
+{\tt This\]is\]TeX,\]Version\]2.9\char'23}\quad
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.TEX.73, 3-6 (3290)
+\bugonpage B2, line 32 (11/17/87)
+
+\ninepoint\noindent\hskip10pt
+{\bf define} $\\{banner}\equiv\hbox{\tt\char'23}$%
+{\tt This\]is\]TeX,\]Version\]2.8\char'23}\quad
+***************
+
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.NEW.2, 3-34 (4391)
+\bugonpage B156, line 28 (12/23/87)
+
+\ninepoint\noindent\hskip20pt
+{\bf begin }$\\{eq\_define}(\\{cur\_cs},\\{relax},256)$;
+
+\bugonpage B157, mini-index (12/23/87)
+
+\eightpoint\noindent
+Delete the entries for `\\{eqtb}' and `\\{frozen\_relax}'; replace them
+by the following:
+\\{eq\_define}: {\bf procedure}, \S227.\par
+$\\{relax}=0$, \S207.\par
+
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.TEX.73, 3-34 (4207)
+***************
+
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.NEW.2, 3-178 (8959)
+\bugonpage B551, both columns (12/23/87)
+
+\eightpoint[Remove `372' from \\{eqtb} and put it into \\{eq\_define}.]
+
+\bugonpage B554, left column (12/23/87)
+
+\eightpoint[Remove `372' from \\{frozen\_relax}.]
+
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.TEX.73, 3-164 (8413)
+***************
+
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.NEW.2, 3-195 (9393)
+\bugonpage B567, left column (12/23/87)
+
+\eightpoint[Insert `372' into \\{relax}.]
+
+**** FILE PS:<BEETON.BB>ERRATA.TEX.73, 4-1 (8633)
+***************
+
+ --------------------
+
+Differences between TeX.WEB versions 2.9 and 2.8
+
+**** FILE PS:<1SCRATCH>TEX.WEB.3, 1-26 (1735)
+% Version 2.9 makes \csname\endcsname's "relax" local (December 1987).
+% A reward of $40.96 will be paid to the first finder of any remaining bug.
+**** FILE PS:<TEX.WEB>TEX.WEB.3, 1-27 (1737)
+% A reward of $40.96 will be paid to the first finder of any remaining bug.
+***************
+
+**** FILE PS:<1SCRATCH>TEX.WEB.3, 2-93 (9066)
+@d banner=='This is TeX, Version 2.9' {printed when \TeX\ starts}
+@ Different \PASCAL s have slightly different conventions, and the present
+**** FILE PS:<TEX.WEB>TEX.WEB.3, 1-166 (8922)
+@d banner=='This is TeX, Version 2.8' {printed when \TeX\ starts}
+@ Different \PASCAL s have slightly different conventions, and the present
+***************
+
+**** FILE PS:<1SCRATCH>TEX.WEB.3, 26-119 (332316)
+ begin eq_define(cur_cs,relax,256);
+ end; {the control sequence will now match `\.{\\relax}'}
+**** FILE PS:<TEX.WEB>TEX.WEB.3, 1-7543 (332196)
+ begin eqtb[cur_cs]:=eqtb[frozen_relax];
+ end; {the control sequence will now match `\.{\\relax}'}
+***************
+
+ --------------------
+
+Differences between DVItype.WEB versions 2.9 and 2.8
+
+**** FILE TX:<BNB.WORK>DVITYPE.WEB.1, 1-14 (823)
+% Version 2.9 changes negative scaling as in TeX version 2.7 (November, 1987).
+% Here is TeX material that gets inserted after \input webmac
+**** FILE TX:<TEX82.SOURCES>DVITYPE.WEB.7, 1-15 (825)
+% Here is TeX material that gets inserted after \input webmac
+***************
+
+**** FILE TX:<BNB.WORK>DVITYPE.WEB.1, 1-33 (1532)
+ \centerline{(Version 2.9, November 1987)}
+ \vfill}
+**** FILE TX:<TEX82.SOURCES>DVITYPE.WEB.7, 1-32 (1452)
+ \centerline{(Version 2.8, August 1984)}
+ \vfill}
+***************
+
+**** FILE TX:<BNB.WORK>DVITYPE.WEB.1, 1-81 (4122)
+@d banner=='This is DVItype, Version 2.9' {printed when the program starts}
+@ This program is written in standard \PASCAL, except where it is necessary
+**** FILE TX:<TEX82.SOURCES>DVITYPE.WEB.7, 1-80 (4040)
+@d banner=='This is DVItype, Version 2.8' {printed when the program starts}
+@ This program is written in standard \PASCAL, except where it is necessary
+***************
+
+**** FILE TX:<BNB.WORK>DVITYPE.WEB.1, 1-1143 (52850)
+integer~|z|, which is known to be less than $2^{27}$.
+If $|z|<2^{23}$, the individual multiplications $b\cdot z$, $c\cdot z$,
+**** FILE TX:<TEX82.SOURCES>DVITYPE.WEB.7, 1-1142 (52768)
+integer~|z|, which is known to be less than $2^{27}$. Let $\alpha=16z$.
+If $|z|<2^{23}$, the individual multiplications $b\cdot z$, $c\cdot z$,
+***************
+
+**** FILE TX:<BNB.WORK>DVITYPE.WEB.1, 1-1150 (53311)
+or the same quantity minus $\alpha=2^{4+e}z^\prime$ if $a=255$.
+This calculation must be
+done exactly, for the reasons stated above; the following program does the
+**** FILE TX:<TEX82.SOURCES>DVITYPE.WEB.7, 1-1149 (53247)
+or the same quantity minus $\alpha$ if $a=255$. This calculation must be
+done exactly, for the reasons stated above; the following program does the
+***************
+
+**** FILE TX:<BNB.WORK>DVITYPE.WEB.1, 1-1166 (53927)
+begin alpha:=16;
+while z>=@'40000000 do
+ begin z:=z div 2; alpha:=alpha+alpha;
+ end;
+beta:=256 div alpha; alpha:=alpha*z;
+end
+**** FILE TX:<TEX82.SOURCES>DVITYPE.WEB.7, 1-1164 (53847)
+begin alpha:=16*z; beta:=16;
+while z>=@'40000000 do
+ begin z:=z div 2; beta:=beta div 2;
+ end;
+end
+***************
+
+
+[ end of message 003 ]
+-------