Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!jarthur!mti!adrian
From: adrian@mti.mti.com (Adrian McCarthy)
Newsgroups: comp.text.tex
Subject: Re: Idea for Discussion: Remove LaTeX from TeX Group?
Message-ID: <1330@mti.mti.com>
Date: 7 Feb 91 17:34:12 GMT
References: <58132@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
Reply-To: adrian@mti.UUCP (Adrian McCarthy)
Organization: Micro Technology, Anaheim, CA
Lines: 39

In article <58132@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> xiaofei@acsu.buffalo.edu
(Xiaofei Wang) writes:
>Would that be a good idea to remove LaTeX related discussions from
>``comp.text.TeX'' to ``comp.text.LaTeX''?
>
>As far as code writing is concerned, Plain TeX users and LaTeX users
>don't usually talk to each other. Few people use both Plain TeX and
>LaTeX.

Really?  I (and several other people I know) work in both plain TeX and
LaTeX regularly.  When I create a new set of plain TeX macros, I usually
document them with LaTeX.

I have also posted general queries to this group on ``how do I do this?'' and
get a mixed bag of results from *both* plain TeX and LaTeX users.  I value
this kind of response because it lets me evaluate different approaches
(using plain TeX macros vs. writing a LaTeX style file).  It also gives me
insights on what's right and what's wrong with the LaTeX design philosophy
that I can apply when creating my own macro packages.

I'm afraid that if TeX and LaTeX were split into two groups, there would just
be a lot of cross posting.  And some irregular readers, unaware of the
distinction between the groups are going to post to the wrong one.  In other
words, I really don't think it'll improve the bandwidth utilization.

Is it possible to use a kill file to eliminate all messages with ``LaTeX''
in the header?  It seems to me that nearly all of the strictly LaTeX
questions usually have this in the subject line.  Perhaps you could also
add a few other keywords like ``documentstyle''.  This will probably
reduce the LaTeX traffic you see as much as splitting the group.

How about AMS-TeX?  And all these other tools and font requests that appear
here?  Should we split those into separate groups too?  Where do DVI-driver
questions and information belong?  How about spelling checkers which
understand how to deal with TeX and LaTeX?  Personally, I'm not much
interested in typesetting math or (with rare exception) locating some
exotic font.

Aid.  (adrian@gonzo.mti.com)