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diff --git a/usergrps/uktug/baskervi/3_1/latex2e.tex b/usergrps/uktug/baskervi/3_1/latex2e.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..9a46c5ecf0 --- /dev/null +++ b/usergrps/uktug/baskervi/3_1/latex2e.tex @@ -0,0 +1,90 @@ +\title{\LaTeX2e -- A New Version of \LaTeX} +\author{Leslie Lamport and the \LaTeX3 project team} +\begin{article} + +An important announcement was made on July 27th at the Annual meeting of +the \TeX\ User's Group (TUG) at Aston University, Birmingham, UK; there +will be a new, standardised version of \LaTeX\ (working name: \LaTeX2e) +to be released before the end of 1993. + +\section*{Reasons For \LaTeX2e} + +There are two primary reasons for introducing a new version of \LaTeX: +\begin{itemize} +\item Standardisation: a single format incorporating NFSS2, to replace + present multiplicity of incompatible formats (NFSS, lfonts, + pslfonts, etc.) +\item Maintenance: a standardised system is essential to a reliable + maintenance policy. +\end{itemize} +Note that \LaTeX2e is only a ``working name''---thus +this may change. + +\section*{Guiding Principles} + +The following two guiding principles are to be followed: +\begin{enumerate} +\item Unmodified version 2.09 input files will produce the same + output with \LaTeX2e as with version 2.09. +\item All new features of \LaTeX2e will conform to the conventions + of version 2.09, making it as easy as possible for current + users to learn to use them. +\end{enumerate} + +\section*{Preamble Commands} + +In order to distinguish old (2.09) documents from those using +facilities from the new version, \LaTeX2e documents will use a +different command on the first line: +\begin{verbatim} + \documentclass[options]{class} +\end{verbatim} + The \verb|documentclass| command specifies what kind of document +this is---for example, article, book, letter, slide. There is a second command: +\begin{verbatim} + \includepackage[options]{package} +\end{verbatim} +Including a package adds new commands and/or redefines +existing commands to provide additional functionality. +The \LaTeX2.09 compatibility mode is invoked by +\begin{verbatim} + \documentstyle[options]{style} +\end{verbatim} + + +\section*{Documentation} + +The new version will be described in a new edition of {\em \LaTeX: +A document preparation system} by Leslie Lamport and in {\em The +\LaTeX\ Companion} by Goossens, Mittelbach and Samarin (both to be +published by Addison-Wesley). The {\em Companion} will also contain a +complete description of NFSS2. + + +\section*{Distribution Policy} + +Maintenance of the new system will be undertaken by the \LaTeX3\ +project team. + +A complete distribution of all files, incorporating corrections of +errors, will be made available twice a year on fixed dates. This will +happen even if there were no changes to the files, and hence only the +release dates have to be updated. + +We are currently looking into the possibility of additionally +distributing `diff' files. + +\section*{Error Reports} + +Error reports can be made using a report generating program +{\tt latexbug.tex}. This will be part of the main distribution. + +Error reports will be accepted only if the version of \LaTeX2e +that produces the error is not older than one year. Error +reports can be sent to the following mail address: +\begin{verbatim} + latex-bugs@rus.uni-stuttgart.de +\end{verbatim} +or a postal address that is to be announced. +\end{article} +\endinput |