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From: root@mjbtn.MFEE.TN.US (Mark J. Bailey)
Newsgroups: comp.text,comp.text.desktop
Subject: Which is better?  Textprocessing langs or DeskTop publishing pgms?
Keywords: desktop DTP interleaf tex troff
Message-ID: <509@mjbtn.MFEE.TN.US>
Date: 6 Sep 89 03:46:34 GMT
Organization: JobSoft Design & Development, Murfreesboro, TN
Lines: 39

I have recently come in to the privalege of having access to a QMS PS-810
PostScript laser printer.  Likewise, for the first time, I can take all
those docs ad man pages from various unix packages here on the net and 
format them with my C/A/T troff package and pipe the output of it through
on of the many C/A/T troff --> PostScript translator/filters also floating
around the net.  It is a dandy way to add new life to an old method for
distributing documentation!  :-)

I also have acquired the sources for TeX and was planning on compiling
it on our system and using the DVI --> PostScript translator that appeared
a while back in one of the sources groups.  However, we are also in the
stages of getting InterLeaf for our XWindow workstations (DecStation 3100's
and VaxStation 3100) as well.  Now my question...Is one better of working
with a text processing language like troff or TeX, or can one do as much
(and maybe more) using something like Interleaf?  I am afraid I haven't
yet really had a chance to experience Interleaf first-hand, although I have
read about it here.  But my concern is that I may be wasting my time 
trying to learn troff and TeX in more detail when Interleaf can do as
good and be easier to use (possibly?).  

Can anyone reading this give me an idea of the pros and cons of each 
approach to laser typesetting/publishing?  In particular where would
troff and/or TeX be better than Interleaf and where would it be worse
(other than its complexity)?  Is there some things that troff/TeX can
do (being a language of sorts) that Interleaf cannot?  Where should I
channel my efforts?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

Mark.

-- 
Mark J. Bailey                                    "Ya'll com bak naw, ya hear!"
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