Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site unc.unc.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!petrus!bellcore!decvax!mcnc!unc!rentsch
From: rentsch@unc.UUCP (Tim Rentsch)
Newsgroups: net.text
Subject: Re: Replacements for TeX
Message-ID: <993@unc.unc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Feb-86 20:06:02 EST
Article-I.D.: unc.993
Posted: Thu Feb 13 20:06:02 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Feb-86 04:40:58 EST
References: <242@batcomputer.TN.CORNELL.EDU>
Reply-To: rentsch@unc.UUCP (Tim Rentsch)
Organization: CS Dept, U. of N. Carolina, Chapel Hill
Lines: 48
Summary: 

In article <242@batcomputer.TN.CORNELL.EDU>
garry@batcomputer.TN.CORNELL.EDU (Garry Wiegand) writes:  [about TeX]

>Then I have two basic observations: 
>
>    1) It will indeed (eventually) generate good-looking output for almost
>       any situation, and

If you think TeX generates good-looking output, you are really
living in a fool's paradox.  For one thing, the fonts are terrible.
For another thing, most TeX output shows how difficult it is to use
TeX to produce good looking output -- see Ullman's Database book for
a prime example.  Saying it is possible to use TeX to produce good
output doesn't cut any ice;  certainly a system which allowed each
individual pixel on a page to be turned on or off could be used to
produce good output, but no one would consider using such a tool.


>    2) It has the ugliest and sloppiest syntax of any language I've ever 
>       encountered. 

What do you expect for a language designed using the same principles
of macroprocessing languages of the early 1960's?


>And my question is: 
>
>    Is anyone out there working on a tool which will combine the 
>    functionality of TeX with a decent human interface?

Why would anyone want one?  If you want nice looking output and a
good user interface, I would suggest a Macintosh.


It is now in vogue to use TeX to generate incredibly bad looking
books, papers, and tech reports.  Some things, however, must
transcend fashion -- such as producing written words to fulfill
their intended purpose: to be read.


Disclaimer:  Any opinions expressed are my own.  The above is
intended *not* to reflect on Garry Wiegand, but only to comment
on the TeX system and on some of the atrocious output it has
produced.

cheers,

Tim