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diff --git a/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-backgrnd.tex b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-backgrnd.tex index f5c334ee9fa..4b3ed751562 100644 --- a/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-backgrnd.tex +++ b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-backgrnd.tex @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@ -% $Id: faq-backgrnd.tex,v 1.30 2012/10/10 20:37:43 rf10 Exp rf10 $ +% $Id: faq-backgrnd.tex,v 1.31 2014/01/28 18:17:36 rf10 Exp rf10 $ \section{The Background} @@ -80,16 +80,17 @@ systems~--- the sorts of attributes that much modern programming practice aims for. The processed `readable' source of \TeX{} the program may be found in the % ! line break \begin{hyperversion} - \Qref*{\acro{TDS} structured version}{Q-tds} of the distribution. + \Qref*{\acro{TDS} structured}{Q-tds} version of the distribution. \end{hyperversion} \begin{dviversion} - \Qref*{\acro{TDS} structured version of the distribution}{Q-tds}. + \acro{TDS} structured version of the distribution (see + \Qref*{\acro{TDS} structure}{Q-tds}). \end{dviversion} \begin{ctanrefs} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}Knuth's source distribution]\CTANref{knuth-dist} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}Knuth's sources in \acro{TDS} layout]\CTANref{knuth-tds} \end{ctanrefs} -\LastEdit{2011-06-01} +\LastEdit{2013-11-27} \Question[Q-plaintex]{What's ``writing in \TeX{}''?} @@ -158,7 +159,9 @@ other way than their conversion to an outline font format. The \MP{} system (by John Hobby) implements a picture-drawing language very much like that of \MF{}; the difference is that \MP{} outputs -Encapsulated \PS{} files instead of run-length-encoded bitmaps. \MP{} +vector graphic files instead of run-length-encoded bitmaps; output +formats available are \PS{} or \acro{SVG} +\MP{} is a powerful language for producing figures for documents to be printed on \PS{} printers, either directly or embedded in \AllTeX{} documents. \MP{} is able to integrate text and mathematics, marked up @@ -195,7 +198,7 @@ explanatory background material). \begin{ctanrefs} \item[tex-overview.pdf]\CTANref{tex-overview} \end{ctanrefs} -\LastEdit{2011-09-01} +\LastEdit{2013-12-10} \Question[Q-texthings]{Things with ``\TeX{}'' in the name} @@ -453,37 +456,40 @@ these \acro{FAQ}s, are set up to use the mirror selector. \Question[Q-catalogue]{The (\acro{CTAN}) catalogue} -Finding stuff on networks was always difficult, but in recent years, +Finding stuff on networks used always to be difficult, but in recent years, search engines have become amazingly good at digging out unconsidered trifles from the myriad items of information available on the net. -Confusion is added by the tendency to index the same file at several -mirror sites. - -Sadly, in the \tex{} context, search engines regularly locate -out-of-date material: their users need a means of finding the relevant -material on \acro{CTAN}~--- on the grounds that such material is most -likely to be up-to-date. The need to find up-to-date items, avoiding -out-of-date \alltex{} material, was the motivation for developing a -specialised information source: the \acro{CTAN} catalogue. The -catalogue contains enough information to support most users' needs; -the ideal is that the catalogue entries should appear early in search -engine results, but in practice this is not always achieved. +However, for the \alltex{} user, confusion is added by the tendency to +index the same file at several \acro{CTAN} mirror sites. + +Further, the \alltex{} user usually needs the most recent version of a +package; it's a rare search result that describes itself as obsolete! + +The \acro{CTAN} catalogue, several years after it was introduced, has +developed into a powerful tool for dealing with these difficulties. +It provides an entry for each package to be found on \acro{CTAN}; +users may search the catalogue for an entry, or they may browse its +contents, using the catalogue's lists of ``categories'' of item. The basis of the catalogue is a collection of small, stylised, articles; each shows basic information about a package on \acro{CTAN}, -and includes pointers to download address, documentation and home page -if any, and related -packages. Every \acro{CTAN} mirror holds a copy of the catalogue, -presented as a series of web pages; both alphabetic and category-based -indexes are provided. - -The core \acro{CTAN} sites also offer a simple text search of the -catalogue; the search could be improved, but manpower to do such -improvements is lacking. +and includes pointers to download address (on a \acro{CTAN} mirror), +documentation and home page if any, and related packages. + +The \href{http://www.ctan.org}{\acro{CTAN} central database machine} +offers a ``Browse \acro{CTAN}'' area, with links to the list of +packages, to a list of `topics' (with packages that match each topic), +and to a list of authors (with their packages). + +In addition, every \acro{CTAN} mirror holds a copy of the catalogue, +presented as a series of web pages; one may scan the files in +alphabetic order, or use a category-based index. Such access is not +as ``sophisticated'' as that on the central site, but it served for +years before the central site appeared. \begin{ctanrefs} -\item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}The CTAN catalogue]\CTANref{Catalogue} +\item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}The CTAN catalogue (on CTAN)]\CTANref{Catalogue} \end{ctanrefs} -\LastEdit*{2013-05-21} +\LastEdit{2014-03-17} \Question[Q-triptrap]{How can I be sure it's really \TeX{}?} @@ -750,37 +756,43 @@ closely to their markup. \Question[Q-LaTeXandPlain]{How does \LaTeX{} relate to \plaintex{}?} -\LaTeX{} is a program written in the programming language \TeX{}. (In -the same sense, any \LaTeX{} document is also a program, which is -designed to run `alongside', or `inside' \LaTeX{}, whichever metaphor -you prefer.) - -\plaintex{} is also a program written in the programming language -\TeX{}. - -Both exist because writing your documents in `raw' \TeX{} would -involve much reinventing of wheels for every document. They both -serve as convenient aids to make document writing more pleasant: -\LaTeX{} is a far more extensive aid. - -\LaTeX{} is close to being a superset of \plaintex{}. Many documents -designed for \plaintex{} will work with \LaTeX{} with no more than -minor modifications (though some will require substantial work). - -Interpretation of any \AllTeX{} program involves some data-driven -elements, and \LaTeX{} has a wider range of such elements than does -\plaintex{}. As a result, the mapping from \LaTeX{} to \plaintex{} -is far less clear than that in the other direction~--- see a later -answer about \Qref*{translating to \plaintex{}}{Q-LaTeXtoPlain}. - -\Question[Q-context]{What is \CONTeXT{}?} - -\href{http://www.pragma-ade.com/}{\CONTeXT{}} is a macro package -developed by Hans Hagen of Pragma-Ade; it started as a production tool +\tex{} provides a programming language (of sorts), and any document +more complex than the trivial ``hello world'' will need some +programming. + +\LaTeX{} and \plaintex{} are both libraries written for use with +\tex{}; the user commands \ProgName{tex} and \ProgName{latex} invoke +\tex{}-the-program with a library incorporated. Libraries that may be +loaded in this way are known as `\emph{formats}'; when a user ``runs'' +\plaintex{} or \latex{}, they are running \tex{} (the program) with an +appropriate format. The documents are then programmed in \plaintex{} +or \latex{} \emph{language}. + +\plaintex{} and \latex{} exist because writing your documents in `raw' +\TeX{} could involve much reinventing of wheels for every document. +Both languages serve as convenient aids to make document writing more +pleasant: \LaTeX{} provides many more items to support `common' +requirements of documents. + +As such, \LaTeX{} is close to being a superset of \plaintex{}, but +some \plaintex{} commands don't work as expected when used in a +\latex{} document. Using \plaintex{} commands in a \latex{} document +is an occasional source of bugs: the output is \emph{almost} right, +but some things are misplaced. + +So, \plaintex{} and \latex{} are related through a common parent, and +are designed for use in similar jobs; programming for one will often +not work correctly in the other. +\LastEdit{2014-03-18} + +\Question[Q-context]{What is \context{}?} + +\href{http://www.pragma-ade.com/}{\context{}} is a macro package +created by Hans Hagen of Pragma-Ade; it started as a production tool for Pragma (which is a publishing company). \CONTeXT{} is a document-production system based, like \LaTeX{}, on the \TeX{} typesetting system. Whereas \LaTeX{} insulates the writer from -typographical details, \CONTeXT{} takes a complementary approach by +typographical details, \context{} takes a complementary approach by providing structured interfaces for handling typography, including extensive support for colors, backgrounds, hyperlinks, presentations, figure-text integration, and conditional compilation. It gives the @@ -789,39 +801,49 @@ new layouts and styles without learning the \TeX{} macro language. \CONTeXT{}'s unified design avoids the package clashes that can happen with \LaTeX{}. -\CONTeXT{} also integrates MetaFun, a superset of \MP{} and a powerful +\context{} also integrates MetaFun, a superset of \MP{} and a powerful system for vector graphics. MetaFun can be used as a stand-alone system to produce figures, but its strength lies in enhancing -\CONTeXT{} documents with accurate graphic elements. +\context{} documents with accurate graphic elements. -\CONTeXT{} allows the users to specify formatting commands in English, +\context{} allows users to specify formatting commands in English, Dutch, German, French, or Italian, and to use different typesetting engines (\PDFTeX{}, Xe\TeX{}, Aleph and \LuaTeX{}) without -changing the user interface. \CONTeXT{} continues to develop, often in +changing the user interface. \context{} continues to develop, often in response to requests from the user community. -\CONTeXT{} has been bound to the development of -\Qref*{\luatex{}}{Q-luatex}, almost from the start of that project. -Nowadays, it is distributed in two versions~--- mark two (files with -extension \extension{mkii} (which runs on \pdftex{} but is not under -active development) and mark four files with extension -\extension{mkiv} (which runs on \luatex{} and is where development +The development of \Qref*{\luatex{}}{Q-luatex} was originally driven +by \context{}, almost from the start of its project. Nowadays, +\context{} it is distributed in two versions~--- mark two (files with +extension \extension{mkii}) which runs on \pdftex{} but is not under +active development, and mark four (files with extension +\extension{mkiv}) (which runs on \luatex{} and is where development happens). -\CONTeXT{} has a large developer community (though possibly not as +\context{} has a large developer community (though possibly not as large as that of latex{}), but those developers who are active seem to have prodigious energy. Support is available via a % ! line break -\href{http://contextgarden.net}{\acro{WIKI} site} and via the -\href{http://www.ntg.nl/mailman/listinfo/ntg-context}{mailing list}; -a ``standalone'' distribution (a \TeX{} distribution with no macros +\href{http://wiki.contextgarden.net/Main_Page}{\acro{WIKI} site} and via the +\href{http://www.ntg.nl/mailman/listinfo/ntg-context}{mailing list}. +A ``standalone'' distribution (a \TeX{} distribution with no macros other than \context{}-based ones) is available from -\url{http://wiki.contextgarden.net/ConTeXt_Standalone}~--- it provides +\url{http://minimals.contextgarden.net/} --- it provides a \context{} system on any of a number of platforms, executing either -mark~ii or mark~iv \context{}. +mark~ii or mark~iv \context{}. + +Note that \acro{CTAN} does \emph{not} hold the primary distribution of +\context{}~--- potential users should refer to +\href{http://contextgarden.net}{\context{} `garden' site} for details +of the +current distribution. \acro{CTAN} holds a copy of \CONTeXT{} but +makes no claim about its ``up-to-date''ness. Likewise, \acro{CTAN} +holds a few contributed \context{} packages, but many more are to be +found via the \href{http://contextgarden.net}{\CONTeXT{} garden}. \begin{ctanrefs} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\CONTeXT{} distribution]\CTANref{context} +\item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\CONTeXT{} packages selection]\CTANref{context-contrib} \end{ctanrefs} -\LastEdit{2011-11-02} +\LastEdit{2014-05-30} \Question[Q-AMSpkg]{What are the \acro{AMS} packages (\AMSTeX{}, \emph{etc}.)?} @@ -863,10 +885,10 @@ For example, \Eplain{} does not have a command \csx{section}, which would format section headings in an ``appropriate'' way, as \LaTeX{}'s \csx{section} does. The philosophy of \Eplain{} is that some people will always need or want to go beyond the macro designer's -idea of ``appropriate''. Such canned macros are fine~--- as long as you +idea of ``appropriate''. Canned sets of macros are fine~--- as long as you are willing to accept the resulting output. If you don't like the -results, or if you are trying to match a different format, you are out -of luck. +results, or if you are trying to match a different format, you may +find that \Eplain{} is for you. On the other hand, almost everyone would like capabilities such as cross-referencing by labels, so that you don't have to put actual page @@ -902,7 +924,7 @@ browse the list archives, via \begin{ctanrefs} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\Eplain{} distribution]\CTANref{eplain} \end{ctanrefs} -\LastEdit{2011-07-13} +\LastEdit{2013-06-25} \Question[Q-texinfo]{What is Texinfo?} @@ -937,15 +959,35 @@ Finally, of course, you can also print the files, or convert them to \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}Texinfo distribution]\CTANref{texinfo} \end{ctanrefs} +\Question[Q-lollipop]{Lollipop} + +A long time ago (in the early 1990s), the Lollipop \tex{} format was +developed (originally to typeset the excellent book % !line break +\Qref{\tex{} by topic}{Q-tex-books}). Several people admired the +format, but no ``critical mass'' of users appeared, that could have +prompted maintenance of the format. + +More than 20 years later, a new maintainer appeared: he hopes to build +Lollipop into an engine for rapid document style development. (In +addition, he intends to add support for right-to-left languages such +as his own~--- Persian.) + +We can only hope that, this time, Lollipop will ``catch on''! +\begin{ctanrefs} +\item[lollipop]\CTANref{lollipop} +\end{ctanrefs} + \Question[Q-whyfree]{If \TeX{} is so good, how come it's free?} It's free because Knuth chose to make it so (he makes money from -royalties on his \TeX{} books, which still sell well). He is nevertheless -apparently happy that others should earn money by selling \TeX{}-based -services and products. While several valuable \TeX{}-related tools and -packages are offered subject to restrictions imposed by the \acro{GNU} -General Public Licence (\acro{GPL}, sometimes referred to as -`Copyleft'), \TeX{} itself is not subject to \acro{GPL}. +royalties on his \TeX{} books, which still sell well). He is +nevertheless apparently happy that others should earn money by selling +\TeX{}-based services and products. While several valuable +\TeX{}-related tools and packages are offered subject to restrictions +imposed by the \acro{GNU} General Public Licence (\acro{GPL}, +sometimes referred to as `Copyleft'), which denies the right to +commercial exploitation. \TeX{} itself is offered under a pretty +permissive licence of Knuth's own. There are commercial versions of \TeX{} available; for some users, it's reassuring to have paid support. What is more, some of the @@ -956,7 +998,7 @@ not available commercially.) This \acro{FAQ} concentrates on `free' distributions of \TeX{}, but we do at least list the \Qref*{major vendors}{Q-commercial}. -\LastEdit{2011-07-06} +\LastEdit{2013-06-25} \Question[Q-TeXfuture]{What is the future of \TeX{}?} @@ -998,17 +1040,31 @@ accessible to ``ordinary users''. \Question[Q-readtex]{Reading \AllTeX{} files} -So you've been sent a \TeX{} file: what are you going to do with it? +So you've been sent an \AllTeX{} file: what are you going to do with +it? + +You can, of course, ``just read it'', since it's a plain text file; +the problem is that the markup tags in the document may prove +distracting. Most of the time, even \TeX{} \emph{experts} will +typeset a \AllTeX{} file before attempting to read it\nobreakspace{}\dots{} + +So you shouldn't be too concerned if you can't make head nor tail of +the file: it is designed to be read by a (sort of) compiler, and +compilers don't have much in common with human readers. + +A possible next step is to try an on-line \latex{} editor. There are +many of these~--- a compilation of links may be found in % line break +\href{http://texblog.net/latex-link-archive/online-compiler/}{this blog post} -You can, of course, ``just read it'', since it's a plain text file, -but the markup tags in the document may prove distracting. Most of -the time, even \TeX{} experts will typeset a \TeX{} file before -attempting to read it. +Of that long list, the present author has only dabbled with +\href{https://www.writelatex.com/}{Write\latex{}}; it seems well +suited to simple `one-shot' use in this way. -So, you need to typeset the document. The good news is that \TeX{} -systems are available, free, for most sorts of computer; the bad news -is that you need a pretty complete \TeX{} system even to read a single -file, and complete \TeX{} systems are pretty large. +If no online compiler helps, you need to typeset the document +``yourself''. The good news is that \TeX{} systems are available, +free, for most sorts of computer; the bad news is that you need a +pretty complete \TeX{} system even to read a single file, and complete +\TeX{} systems are pretty large. \TeX{} is a typesetting system that arose from a publishing project (see \wideonly{``}\Qref[question]{what is \TeX{}}{Q-whatTeX}\wideonly{''}), @@ -1041,7 +1097,7 @@ system to read a document ``as intended''. Are you ``put off'' by all this?~--- remember that \tex{} is good at producing \acro{PDF}: why not ask the person who sent the \tex{} file to send an \acro{PDF} copy? -\LastEdit{2012-10-10} +\LastEdit{2014-05-21} \Question[Q-notWYSIWYG]{Why is \TeX{} not a \WYSIWYG{} system?} @@ -1140,32 +1196,25 @@ Some time ago, \acro{TUG} established a ``technical council'', whose task was to oversee the development of \TeX{}nical projects. Most such projects nowadays go on their way without any support from \acro{TUG}, but \acro{TUG}'s web site lists its -\htmlignore -\ifpdf + +\begin{hyperversion} \href{http://www.tug.org/twg.html}{Technical Working Groups (\acro{TWG}s)}. -\else +\end{hyperversion} +\begin{flatversion} Technical Working Groups (\acro{TWG}s: see \URL{http://www.tug.org/twg.html}). -\fi -\endhtmlignore -\begin{htmlversion} -\href{http://www.tug.org/twg.html}{Technical Working Groups (\acro{TWG}s)}. -\end{htmlversion} +\end{flatversion} \acro{TUG} has a reasonable claim to be considered a world-wide organisation, but there are many national and regional user groups, too; \acro{TUG}'s web site maintains a list of -\htmlignore -\ifpdf -\href{http://www.tug.org/lugs.html}{``Local User Groups'' (\acro{LUG}s)}. -\else +\begin{hyperversion} +href{http://www.tug.org/lugs.html}{``Local User Groups'' (\acro{LUG}s)}. +\end{hyperversion} +\begin{flatversion} ``local user groups'' (\acro{LUG}s: see \URL{http://www.tug.org/lugs.html}). -\fi -\endhtmlignore -\begin{htmlversion} -\href{http://www.tug.org/lugs.html}{``local user groups'' (\acro{LUG}s)}. -\end{htmlversion} +\end{flatversion} Contact \acro{TUG} itself via \URL{http://tug.org/contact} -LastEdit{2011-09-19} +LastEdit{2013-06-25} |