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From: ccc_ldo@waikato.ac.nz (Lawrence D'Oliveiro, Waikato University)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.postscript
Subject: Re: PostScript Level II, contextual forms
Message-ID: <1376.26dc15f6@waikato.ac.nz>
Date: 29 Aug 90 07:22:29 GMT
References: <9607@goofy.Apple.COM> <1289.26d27708@waikato.ac.nz> <1330.26d576c4@waikato.ac.nz> <1990Aug24.182905.24152@ico.isc.com>
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Lines: 41

In <1990Aug24.182905.24152@ico.isc.com>, rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn)
makes the following comments on my posting <1330.26d576c4@waikato.ac.nz>
about PostScript's problems in supporting applications which will work
across multiple writing systems:

"[decisions about writing-system-dependent aspects of text layout] can be
made in the layer that handles other natural-language dependencies, such
as hyphenation.  I'd call it a 'text formatter' for want of a better word."

"The operating system shouldn't have to enter into the issue. The layer
which handles the language issues is a program which takes input generated
by the user and produces PostScript as output."

"The information is available for the application ... in the ..afm
(Adobe Font Metric) files."

I get the feeling that you believe that there will only ever be one
text-formatting application in the world. This suggests you me that
you're not a PC user, as you have no appreciation of the sheer variety
of word processors and page-layout programs available for PCs, quite apart
from command-driven text formatters like TEX. Not only that, but other
applications--such as drawing programs--need the ability to handle a
certain amount of text as well.

Are you suggesting that all these applications reinvent the writing-system-
dependent aspects of text handling? Isn't PostScript important precisely
because of the fact that it provides a common solution to several common
problems of text handling? Wouldn't it be nice if it were extended to solve
more of them?

Now that I've made my point clearer, you might like to reread my previous
posting, and reconsider some of the features I asked about, and see if
they make a bit more sense.

By the way, AFM files don't go half of the way towards addressing the
points I raised.

Lawrence D'Oliveiro                       fone: +64-71-562-889
Computer Services Dept                     fax: +64-71-384-066
University of Waikato            electric mail: ldo@waikato.ac.nz
Hamilton, New Zealand    37^ 47' 26" S, 175^ 19' 7" E, GMT+12:00