Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!dog.ee.lbl.gov!csa2.lbl.gov!jtchew From: jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW) Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: TeX = as seen by a reviewer of the NeXT cube Summary: For information on exciting legal careers, call 1-800-LEECHES Message-ID: <14341@dog.ee.lbl.gov> Date: 17 Jun 91 16:27:32 GMT References: <1991Jun13.004311.27226@zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu> <1991Jun13.063513.3050@math.ucla.edu> <14284@dog.ee.lbl.gov> Reply-To: jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov Followup-To: comp.sys.next Organization: Honest Ernie's Used Ions Lines: 34 News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4 X-Local-Date: Mon, 17 Jun 91 08:44:19 PDT I'm posting the following at the request of a fellow netter who can't get onto comp.text.tex. >From: bbeeton >your citation of knuth's statement in "tex and metafont: new >directions ..." is unfortunatly out of date. that was written >before he was aware that honeywell had registered the trademark >"TEX" ("pronounced tecks", according to "the texbook", p. 1). >the first chapter in the later book (also entitled "the name of >the game") explains why TeX shouldn't be confused with TEX. >it's very important to keep that distinction clear -- honeywell >could still send lawyers out and enjoin the tex community from >using the term if it's not. we're able to use the name only >because the stature of donald e. knuth in the computer field >was great enough that someone (probably not a lawyer) recognized >that it would be good pr to settle on a gentlemen's agreement. >things would have been very much different, i think, if "our" >tex had been written by john q. nobody. > -- barbara beeton > editor, tugboat > also, employee of ams, to whom > knuth has assigned the trademark As for me, I'm going over to rec.humor to see if anyone has posted any good lawyer jokes lately. Or maybe I'll just go downtown and have a few drinks before "martini" becomes a registered trademark. Followup to comp.sys.next or, perhaps, misc.civilization.decline-and-fall. Needless to say, my employer is indemnified from, confounded by, and oblivious to the opinions stated hereintofore. In hoc marca registrada vinces, forever and ever, Amen.