Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site uw-beaver
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!laser-lovers
From: laser-lovers@uw-beaver
Newsgroups: fa.laser-lovers
Subject: Re: TFM files: Imagen v. Talaris
Message-ID: <1003@uw-beaver>
Date: Tue, 9-Apr-85 03:03:36 EST
Article-I.D.: uw-beave.1003
Posted: Tue Apr  9 03:03:36 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 10-Apr-85 06:33:36 EST
Sender: daemon@uw-beaver
Organization: U of Washington Computer Science
Lines: 38

From: David Fuchs <DRF@SU-SCORE.ARPA>

Subject: Re: TFM files: Imagen v. Talaris
To: MRose%NRTC@USC-ECL.ARPA.#Internet, laser-lovers@WASHINGTON.ARPA.#Internet
In-Reply-To: Message from "mrose@UDel-Dewey.ARPA" of Mon 8 Apr 85 19:46:26-PST

Many sites use more than one brand of printer with TeX with no
problems like the one your mentioned.  For instance, we're using
printers from 8 different manufacturers in the CS Dept quite happily.

The reason it all works is exactly because the .TFM files are
independent of the device in question.  If indeed Talaris is
distributing files that it is calling "Computer Modern" that don't
match those from Stanford, then I'd say they are defrauding their
customers.  This subject came up at last summer's TeX Users Group
meeting when a disgruntled Talaris customer complained that their
fonts didn't match.  After an incredulous response from the president
of TUG to the effect that he couldn't believe that anyone would be so
stupid to do such a thing (my words), the representative from Talaris
positivley denied that they were sending out bogus .TFM files.  I
thought that settled it and that everyone had saved face, but now it
seems Talaris is up to their old tricks, and I for one am disgusted
with them.  Imagen, HP, IBM, QMS, DEC, Apple, Xerox, Autologic,
Alphatype, etc., all have printers which allow for across-the-board
TeX compatibility; I don't see why Talaris insists on screwing things
up for the TeX community, and then denies doing it.

What can be done?  Well, I'd suggest that you trash the software from
Talaris, get a standard VMS TeX from Stanford (or buy a supported
version from Kellerman&Smith, or use the one that comes from Imagen)
and also get the public-domain QMS driver code (or buy a supported
version from Textset or K&S).  To help keep this from happening in the
future, the TeX Users Group will be including in each issue of their
newsletter a list of software that is truely TeX compatible.  After all,
that was the whole idea in the first place.

	-david
-------