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From: ralph@svnet.UUCP (Ralph Barker)
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Troff vs/ Eroff
Summary: Either none or A LOT
Message-ID: <2564@svnet.UUCP>
Date: 2 Mar 91 18:00:51 GMT
References: <1991Feb27.161635.26756@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Organization: SVNet, San Jose, CA 95128
Lines: 37

In article <1991Feb27.161635.26756@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>, rr2g@composite.ce.Virginia.EDU (Rhonda R. Gaines) writes:
> 
> Rhonda Gaines                   |   University of Virginia writes:
> What are the major differences between troff and eroff?
> 
Depending on your point of view, either none, or A LOT.

Eroff (tm) is a commercial product of Elan Computer Group which INCLUDES
all of AT&T's Documenter's Workbench (DWB) (tm), which might be viewed as
simply "troff".  Thus, you might say that there is NO difference.  

Included with the Eroff product, however, are "extras" including
a front-end, additional macros for graphics images, etc. 
and postprocessors for laser printers (both PostScript and HP).  
DWB, as distributed by AT&T does not include (or at least didn't) any
postprocessors required to actually print on other than the designated
phototypesetter.  Thus, you might say that there is A LOT of difference
between "troff" and Eroff.  

Elan also indicates that they have fixed a variety of bugs in the AT&T sources.
Never having tried to use the original AT&T code, I can't personally testify
to what they have done, other than making a (IMHO) solid, reliable product with 
vastly improved documentation and other highly useful add-ons (e.g. X Windows
screen previewers, etc).  I have been using Eroff for a number of years
(my first copy was distributed from the living room of one of the
principals), and have been highly satisfied.  There are, of course, other
"commercial incantations" of troff available, some of which diverge
significantly from the underlying "troff philosophy", along with
at least one shareware package.  Eroff is not cheap, but (IMHO) it is
good.  


-- 
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