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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 f893036d0bf..2b1853c9fa8 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 1.19 2011/04/14 18:34:15 rf10 Exp rf10 $ +% $Id: faq-backgrnd.tex,v 1.27 2011/09/03 18:56:20 rf10 Exp $ \section{The Background} @@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ for \latex{}, see % ! line break \TeX{} is a typesetting system written by \href{http://sunburn.stanford.edu/~knuth/}{Donald E. Knuth}, who says in the Preface to his book on \TeX{} -(see \Qref[question]{books about TeX}{Q-books}) that it is +(see \Qref[question]{books about TeX}{Q-tex-books}) that it is %% !line wrap avoided by two commands ``\emph{intended for the creation of beautiful books~---} \emph{and especially for books that contain a lot of mathematics}''. @@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ program may be found in the % ! line break \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} \Question[Q-plaintex]{What's ``writing in \TeX{}''?} @@ -143,21 +144,26 @@ between two fonts that belong to the same (or related) families. Knuth (and others) have designed a fair range of fonts using \MF{}, but font design using \MF{} is much more of a minority skill (even) than is -\TeX{} macro-writing. The complete \TeX{}-user nevertheless needs to -be aware of \MF{}, and may even be required run \MF{} to generate personal -copies of Meta-fonts that come her way. -\LastEdit{2011-03-10} +\TeX{} macro-writing. +What is more, it is a dying art: few new \tex{}-related fonts are +produced using \MF{}, nowadays. Indeed, several of the major font +families (that originated in \MF{} designs) are now seldom used in any +other way than their conversion to an outline font format. +%% The complete \TeX{}-user nevertheless needs to +%% be aware of \MF{}, and may even be required run \MF{} to generate personal +%% copies of Meta-fonts that come her way. +\LastEdit{2011-07-03} \Question[Q-MP]{What is \MP{}?} The \MP{} system (by John Hobby) implements a picture-drawing language -very much like that of \MF{} except that it outputs Encapsulated \PS{} -files instead of run-length-encoded bitmaps. \MP{} is a powerful -language for producing figures for documents to be printed on \PS{} -printers, either directly or embedded in \AllTeX{} documents. It -includes facilities for directly integrating \TeX{} text and -mathematics with the graphics. (Knuth tells us that he uses nothing -but \MP{} for diagrams in text that he is writing.) +very much like that of \MF{}; the difference is that \MP{} outputs +Encapsulated \PS{} files instead of run-length-encoded bitmaps. \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 +for use with \TeX{}, within the graphics. (Knuth tells us that he +uses nothing but \MP{} for diagrams in text that he is writing.) Although \PDFLaTeX{} cannot ordinarily handle \PS{} graphics, the output of \MP{} is sufficiently simple and regular that \PDFLaTeX{} @@ -184,6 +190,7 @@ A mailing list discussing \MP{} is available; \end{hyperversion} The \acro{TUG} website also hosts a % ! line break \href{http://tug.org/metapost.html}{\MP{} summary page}. +\LastEdit{2011-09-01} %**** \Question[Q-texthings]{Things with ``\TeX{}'' in the name} @@ -231,7 +238,7 @@ that you are likely to encounter: \begin{description} \item[Plain \TeX{} (executable: \ProgName{tex})] See - \Qref[questions]{Books on \TeX{} and its relations}{Q-books}, + \Qref[questions]{Books on \TeX{} and \plaintex{}}{Q-tex-books}, \Qref[]{Online introductions: \TeX{}}{Q-man-tex}, \Qref[]{Should I use Plain \TeX{} or \LaTeX{}?}{Q-plainvltx} and \Qref[]{Freely available \AllTeX{} books}{Q-ol-books}. @@ -242,7 +249,7 @@ that you are likely to encounter: \item[\LaTeX{} (executable: \ProgName{latex})] See - \Qref[questions]{Books on \TeX{} and its relations}{Q-books}, + \Qref[questions]{Books on \TeX{} and its relations}{Q-latex-books}, \Qref[]{\AllTeX{} Tutorials, etc.}{Q-tutorials*}, \Qref[]{Online introductions: \LaTeX{}}{Q-man-latex}, \Qref[]{Specialized \AllTeX{} tutorials}{Q-tutbitslatex} and @@ -292,12 +299,7 @@ the \TeX{} engine with some additional useful features: \Qref[question]{What is \PDFTeX{}?}{Q-whatpdftex}. \item[\xetex{} (executable: \ProgName{xetex})] -% \TeX{} not only predates all major font technologies in use today -% (e.g.,~TrueType, OpenType, and PostScript Type~1) but also predates -% the notion that fonts be included with an operating system. -% Consequently, \TeX{} uses its own font formats, which are -% incompatible with anything a user is likely to have preinstalled. - \xetex{} uses \acro{UTF}-8 encoded Unicode input, and extends + \xetex{} reads \acro{UTF}-8 encoded Unicode input, and extends \TeX{}'s font support to include `modern' formats such as TrueType and OpenType; these extensions to its capabilities make it well-suited to multi-lingual texts covering different writing @@ -306,8 +308,10 @@ the \TeX{} engine with some additional useful features: \item[\LuaTeX{} (executable: \ProgName{luatex})] \TeX{} is programmed in its own arcane, integrated, macro-based programming language. \LuaTeX{} adds a second programming engine - which operates alongside \tex{} using a modern scripting language, - Lua. See \Qref[question]{What is \LuaTeX{}?}{Q-luatex}. + using a modern scripting language, Lua, which is `embedded' in a + \tex{}-alike engine; it too reads \acro{UTF}-8 and uses TrueType + OpenType fonts. See % ! line break + \Qref[question]{What is \LuaTeX{}?}{Q-luatex}. \item[\eTeX{} (executable: \ProgName{etex})] \eTeX{} is an extension of \tex{}'s programming interface; as such @@ -374,17 +378,17 @@ name like ``blah\tex{}''. The subject matter covered by this answer is also addressed in a page on the \acro{TUG} site, % ! line break ``\href{http://tug.org/levels.html}{the Levels of \tex{}}''. -\LastEdit{2011-03-11} +\LastEdit{2011-06-01} \Question[Q-triptrap]{How can I be sure it's really \TeX{}?} \TeX{} (and \MF{} and \MP{}) are written in a -\begin{narrowversion} % really "non-hyper" - `literate' programming language called Web (\Qref{}{Q-lit}) -\end{narrowversion} -\begin{wideversion} - \Qref{`literate' programming}{Q-lit} language called Web -\end{wideversion} +\begin{flatversion} % really "non-hyper" + `literate' programming language called \ProgName{Web} (\Qref{}{Q-lit}) +\end{flatversion} +\begin{hyperversion} + \Qref{`literate' programming}{Q-lit} language called \ProgName{Web} +\end{hyperversion} which is designed to be portable across a wide range of computer systems. How, then, is a new version of \TeX{} checked? @@ -408,7 +412,7 @@ any distributor would test new versions against ``real'' documents or fonts, too; while \Package{trip} and \Package{trap} test bits of pathways within the program, they don't actually test for any real world problem.) - +\LastEdit{2011-05-28} \Question[Q-y2k]{Are \TeX{} and friends Y2K compliant?} @@ -422,7 +426,7 @@ world problem.) since the only use of the date format file is to produce the log output, and the log file is designed for human readers only. - Knuth announced in 1998 that implementors could + Knuth announced in 1998 that implementors would be permitted alter this code without fear of being accused of non-compliance. Nearly all implementations that are being actively maintained had been modified to generate 4-digit years in the format file and the @@ -435,7 +439,7 @@ world problem.) means that \TeX{} can, in principle, be implemented on platforms that don't make the value of the clock available to user programs). The \emph{\TeX{}book} (see - \Qref[question]{TeX-related books}{Q-books}) defines \csx{year} as + \Qref[question]{TeX-related books}{Q-tex-books}) defines \csx{year} as ``the current year of our Lord'', which is the only correct meaning for \csx{year} for those implementations which can supply a meaningful value, which is to say nearly all of them. @@ -461,6 +465,7 @@ world problem.) \item[External software:] Software such as \acro{DVI} translators needs to be individually checked. \end{description} +\LastEdit{2011-06-01} \Question[Q-etex]{What is \eTeX{}?} @@ -491,7 +496,7 @@ programming support. \Qref*{\CONTeXT{}}{Q-context} has required \eTeX{} for its operation for some time, though development is now focused on the use of -\Qref*{\luatex}{Q-luatex}. +\Qref*{\luatex{}}{Q-luatex}. Some \LaTeX{} packages already specify the use of \eTeX{}. Some such packages may not work at all on a non-\eTeX{} system; others will @@ -502,7 +507,7 @@ individually contributed) may require \eTeX{} for optimum performance. \begin{ctanrefs} \item[\eTeX{}]\CTANref{etex} \end{ctanrefs} -\LastEdit{2011-04-13} +\LastEdit{2011-07-13} \Question[Q-whatpdftex]{What is \PDFTeX{}?} @@ -510,25 +515,25 @@ One can reasonably say that \PDFTeX{} is (today) the main stream of \TeX{} distributions: most \LaTeX{} and many \CONTeXT{} users nowadays use \PDFTeX{} whether they know it or not (more precisely, they use \PDFTeX{} extended by -\begin{wideversion} +\begin{hyperversion} \Qref*{\eTeX{}}{Q-etex}). -\end{wideversion} -\begin{narrowversion} +\end{hyperversion} +\begin{flatversion} \eTeX{}~--- \Qref{}{Q-etex}). -\end{narrowversion} +\end{flatversion} So what is \PDFTeX{}? \PDFTeX{} is a development of \TeX{} that is capable of generating typeset \acro{PDF} output in place of \acro{DVI}. \PDFTeX{} has other capabilities, most notably in the area of fine typographic detail (for example, its support for % ! line break -\begin{wideversion} +\begin{hyperversion} \Qref{optimising line breaks}{Q-overfull}), -\end{wideversion} -\begin{narrowversion} +\end{hyperversion} +\begin{flatversion} % ( <- dummy for paren balancing optimising line breaks~--- \Qref{}{Q-overfull}), -\end{narrowversion} +\end{flatversion} but its greatest impact to date has been in the area of \acro{PDF} output. @@ -539,14 +544,16 @@ Russia). While the world was making good use of ``pre-releases'' of \PDFTeX{}, Th\`anh used it as a test-bed for the micro-typography which was the -prime subject of his Ph.D. research. Since Th\`anh was finally +prime subject of his Ph.D.~research. Since Th\`anh was finally awarded his Ph.D., day-to-day maintenance and development of \PDFTeX{}~1.0 (and later) has been in the hands of a group of \PDFTeX{} maintainers (which includes Th\`anh); the group has managed to maintain a stable platform for general use. -Development of \PDFTeX{} has (in essence) stopped: the brave new world -is to be \Qref*{\LuaTeX{}}{Q-luatex}. +Development of \PDFTeX{} has mostly stopped (only bug fixes, and +occasional small development items are processed): future development +is focused on \Qref*{\LuaTeX{}}{Q-luatex}. +\LastEdit{2011-05-28} \Question[Q-latex]{What is \LaTeX{}?} @@ -577,7 +584,7 @@ from the later days of \LaTeXo{}. The ``e'' of the name is (in the % the \relax allows sanitize to cope with the line. just don't ask... a single-stroke epsilon (\latexhtml{\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}{ε}, supposedly -indicative of no more than a small change. +indicative of no more than a small change). \LaTeXe{} has several enhancements over \LaTeXo{}, but they were all rather minor, with a view to continuity and stability rather than the @@ -589,10 +596,15 @@ file). Differences between \LaTeXe{} and \LaTeXo{} are outlined in a series of `guide' files that are available in every \LaTeX{} distribution (the same directory also contains ``news'' about each new release of \LaTeXe{}). + +Note that, now, \latexe{} is ``feature frozen'' (the only allowed +changes come from bug reports); this, too, is in pursuit of stability, +and is a driving force for many of the efforts to contribute \latex{} +packages. \begin{ctanrefs} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\LaTeX{} guides and news]\CTANref{latexdoc} \end{ctanrefs} -\LastEdit{2009-06-07} +\LastEdit{2011-08-19} \Question[Q-latexpronounce]{How should I pronounce ``\LaTeX{}(\twee{})''?} @@ -657,7 +669,8 @@ 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. \CONTeXT{} is a +developed 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 @@ -680,21 +693,29 @@ engines (\PDFTeX{}, Xe\TeX{}, Aleph and \LuaTeX{}) without changing the user interface. \CONTeXT{} continues to develop, often in response to requests from the user community. -\CONTeXT{} doesn't yet have quite such a large developer community as -does \LaTeX{}, but those developers who are active seem to have +\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 +happens). + +\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}. \begin{ctanrefs} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\CONTeXT{} distribution]\CTANref{context} \end{ctanrefs} -\LastEdit{2010-12-08} +\LastEdit{2011-06-12} \Question[Q-AMSpkg]{What are the \acro{AMS} packages (\AMSTeX{}, \emph{etc}.)?} \AMSTeX{} is a \TeX{} macro package, originally written by Michael Spivak for the American Mathematical Society (\acro{AMS}) during 1983--1985 and -is described in the book ``\Qref*{The Joy of \TeX{}}{Q-books}''. +is described in the book ``\Qref*{The Joy of \TeX{}}{Q-tex-books}''. It is based on \plaintex{}, and provides many features for producing more professional-looking maths formulas with less burden on authors. It pays attention to the finer details of @@ -714,6 +735,7 @@ its authors to use \AMSLaTeX{} instead. \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\AMSTeX{} distribution]\CTANref{amstex} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\AMSLaTeX{} distribution]\CTANref{amslatex} \end{ctanrefs} +\LastEdit{2011-06-01} \Question[Q-eplain]{What is \Eplain{}?} @@ -738,7 +760,7 @@ 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 numbers in the manuscript. The authors of \Eplain{} believe it is the only generally available macro package that does not force its -typographic style on an author, and yet provides these such capabilities. +typographic style on an author, and yet provides these capabilities. Another useful feature of \Eplain{} is the ability to create PDF files with hyperlinks. The cross-referencing macros can implicitly generate @@ -761,14 +783,14 @@ known to work with \Eplain{}: \Package{graphics}, \Package{graphicx}, \Package{psfrag}, and \Package{url}. \href{http://tug.org/docs/html/eplain}{\Eplain{} documentation} is -available online (and there's a \acro{PDF} copy in the \acro{CTAN} +available online (there's a \acro{PDF} copy in the \acro{CTAN} package as well), and there's also a mailing list~--- sign up, or browse the list archives, via \URL{http://tug.org/mailman/listinfo/tex-eplain} \begin{ctanrefs} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\Eplain{} distribution]\CTANref{eplain} \end{ctanrefs} -\LastEdit{2011-04-13} +\LastEdit{2011-07-13} \Question[Q-texinfo]{What is Texinfo?} @@ -805,12 +827,13 @@ Finally, of course, you can also print the files, or convert them to \Question[Q-whyfree]{If \TeX{} is so good, how come it's free?} -It's free because Knuth chose to make it so. 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 (`Copyleft'), \TeX{} itself is not subject to Copyleft. +It's free because Knuth chose to make it so (he makes money from +royalties on his \TeX{} books, which all 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}. There are commercial versions of \TeX{} available; for some users, it's reassuring to have paid support. What is more, some of the @@ -821,6 +844,7 @@ 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} \Question[Q-TeXfuture]{What is the future of \TeX{}?} @@ -855,9 +879,10 @@ all the results they are likely to deliver, is the related % ! line break \Qref*{Omega and Aleph}{Q-omegaleph}. The % ! line break \Qref*{\xetex{} system}{Q-xetex} is in principle still under development, but is widely used, and the % ! line break -\Qref*{\LuaTeX{} project}{Q-luatex} (though with another two years of -development scheduled) has already delivered a system that is quite -useful. +\Qref*{\LuaTeX{} project}{Q-luatex} (though not scheduled to produce +its final product until end 2012) has already delivered a system that +is quite useful. +\LastEdit{2011-07-06} \Question[Q-readtex]{Reading \AllTeX{} files} |