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From: rbj@dsys.ncsl.nist.gov (Root Boy Jim)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: a word-processor for UNIX
Message-ID: <20388@adm.BRL.MIL>
Date: 27 Jul 89 16:32:51 GMT
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? From: Don Libes <libes@cme.nbs.gov>
? Date: 25 Jul 89 19:00:18 GMT

? >Most of the Unix books published by Prentice-Hall have been typsest
? >using troff, and the AWK book and Stroustrup's C++ book were too.

? I think the real reason is that Prentice-Hall made a decision several
? years ago to go to troff.  They apparently have a small staff of
? troff-hackers that will convert things from whatever you give them.
? Faced with this sillyness, it isn't surprising that authors use troff
? if they have it.

Well, it seems that the tail and the dog wag each other. I am surprised
that no one mentioned that AT&T is not likely to typeset their books
using anything they didn't invent. If PH uses troff, guess which
house AT&T will publish thru? And since AT&T is nearby and sends lots
of business their way, it's not surprising that PH uses troff.

Someone asked whether anyone would use anything as primitive as troff
to write a book with (altho a smiley face was tacked on). Actually,
troff has held up quite well, and is quite stable, having changed
little in its lifetime. Troff is a prime example of a tool that is
used by its developers, and is therefore refined over time.

Someday, I'll cut a P.O. for your book, Don.

? Don Libes          libes@cme.nist.gov      ...!uunet!cme-durer!libes

	Root Boy Jim
	Have GNU, Will Travel.