Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!tivoli!greylock!lark
From: lark@greylock.tivoli.com (Lar Kaufman)
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Xroff -- Request for Comments/Gripes
Keywords: troff ditroff xroff sqtroff
Message-ID: <748@tivoli.UUCP>
Date: 9 May 91 01:59:27 GMT
References: <1991May7.170631.14030@eci386.uucp> <1991May3.163405.23681@solbourne.com> <1983@chinacat.Unicom.COM>
Sender: news@tivoli.UUCP
Reply-To: lark@tivoli.com (Lar Kaufman)
Distribution: usa
Organization: TIVOLI Systems, Inc.
Lines: 30

In article <1983@chinacat.Unicom.COM> chip@chinacat.Unicom.COM 
(Chip Rosenthal) writes:
  > In article <1991May3.163405.23681@solbourne.com>
  > 	tsmith@solbourne.com (Terry Smith) writes:
  > The thing which was a total knock-out punch for xroff is the fact that
  > the backend is not ditroff compatible - nor was it documented.
  > Therefore, if you've got any tools for printer handling, fonts, etc.
  > they are useless.  I needed this capability, and thus xroff was rendered
  > unusable for my needs.

  This does sound like a *VERY* important consideration.  There are lots
  of tools for dealing with di-troff output....  Even though SoftQuad
  enhanced their SQtroff output, they did fully document it (not that
  it's hard to understand in the first place!), and they also provided a
  filter to convert it back into di-troff(5).
  
Actually, this is probably less of a consideration than you may think.  
Xroff provides an adequate selection of good fonts, as well as drivers for 
almost any laser printer you could wish, and other printer drivers as 
well - even popular PC printers (there is an Xroff for MS-DOS).

I've published manuals using Xroff and found it quite satisfactory - 
though I like the later SQtroff stuff, too.

-lar

Lar Kaufman            I would feel more optimistic about a bright future
(voice) 512-794-9070   for man if he spent less time proving that he can
(fax)   512-794-0623   outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness 
lark@tivoli.com        and respecting her seniority.  - E.B. White