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From: danny@idacom.UUCP (Danny Wilson)
Newsgroups: comp.text,comp.text.desktop
Subject: Re: Which is better?  Textprocessing langs or DeskTop publishing pgms?
Summary: Context
Message-ID: <729@idacom.UUCP>
Date: 21 Sep 89 00:27:43 GMT
References: <509@mjbtn.MFEE.TN.US> <2650@trantor.harris-atd.com> <2017@csv.viccol.edu.au>
Organization: IDACOM Electronics Ltd., Edmonton, Alta.
Lines: 52

I really don't want to get into a 'this is better than that' type
of argument (i hate those :-).  I agree that 'program orientated'
wordprocessors have their advantages, however, in the end the
user has to choose what type of system he/she wants. 

In article <2017@csv.viccol.edu.au>, dougcc@csv.viccol.edu.au (Douglas Miller) writes:
> 
> Well, my TeX source shows ALL versions SIMULTANEOUSLY, clearly an
> improvement over DOC (:-)?).

Also possible. 

> CMS handles element reservation, variant lines of descent, merging of
> variants, element groups, generation classes (e.g. "V1.0"), reference copy
> libraries, review markers, element history (modification comments etc.),
> and generation archiving.  Does DOC do all or most of this?  If not, you
> are getting less than you should have.  If it does, you might be ahead,
> unless you also have revision control software for your software code, in
> which case you're paying extra for redundant features that fragment your
> revision control efforts.
> 

I have studied how line orientated wordprocessors (i.e. program
type: nroff, TeX etc) can be incorporated into revision control systems (rcs).

It is true that conventional systems perform the above stated
functions. However, Context Change Control is just more, well,
integrated than that.

This means that you can show/print one [or more] variants at the same time.
These variants can be shaded or highlighted differently (shade, crosshatch
etc) to indicate with variant they belong to. Change Control works with 
documents containing pictures - the graphic information can be
dependent on 'version'.  I realize you can do this with multi-program
combination of, say, TeX, RCS/SCCS, and 'make'. However, for the 
non-computer expert guy there is just a little too much training
overhead involved here.

Our department is trying to produce customer/user software
manuals and is under great pressure to do so with high
throughput.  I think that this solution is best for our needs 
and eliminates the requirement for highly skilled 'computer-type'
guys to do the set up etc.

I can already see the TeX guys breaking out their battle equipment
to defend their holy honour ... :-(  I will try to answer all [reasonable]
questions that relate to the system and my experiences with it.
-- 
Danny Wilson
IDACOM Electronics		danny@idacom.uucp
Edmonton, Alberta		{att, watmath, ubc-cs}!alberta!idacom!danny
C A N A D A