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From: klaus@cnix.uucp (klaus u schallhorn)
Newsgroups: comp.text.tex
Subject: Common TeX
Message-ID: <1990Nov14.150714.15442@cnix.uucp>
Date: 14 Nov 90 15:07:14 GMT
Sender: klaus@cnix.uucp (klaus u schallhorn)
Organization: pionier publications
Lines: 33

Because of 8bit charset requirements I have finally decided
to ditch a homegrown formatter and confront TeX head on.

First thing I noticed is the [pardon me] awful chattyness of
TeX. It reminds me a lot of messydos software where you have
to read a screenful before you know if anything at all was
relevant.

Next thing I noticed, you can't ^C out of TeX, and I reckoned
[and found it confirmed in an article just read] that pipes
are probably out when TeX'ing. I would have loved to

	cat whatever | tex | lpr -dvi

NOW people start talking about "common tex", that's supposed
not to patronise you with error screens, faster and oriented
more towards unix [even knows unix?].

Can someone tell me what "common tex" is, where is came from,
how to get it, diff's compared to 3.?, suitability in 8bit char-
set environments and compatibility with fonts && style files.

Please note that I don't regard myself as being familiar with
TeX. I've just compiled it yesterday, am still deciding whether
I've passed trip&trap and that. I have, however, noticed
TeX's "lust" to talk, and to talk, and to talk.... Reminds me
of my mother-in-law, only that the formatting is different.

Please mail, I'll summarise

klaus
-- 
George Orwell was an Optimist