Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!columbia!rutgers!caip!clyde!cbatt!cbdkc1!cbnap!whp
From: whp@cbnap.UUCP (W. H. Pollock x4575 3S235)
Newsgroups: net.text,net.unix
Subject: Re: nroff/tex
Message-ID: <169@cbnap.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-Oct-86 17:44:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbnap.169
Posted: Mon Oct  6 17:44:30 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 7-Oct-86 23:42:19 EDT
References: <421@cci632.UUCP> <210@NCSUVM>
Reply-To: whp@cbnap.UUCP (W. H. Pollock x4575 3S235)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus
Lines: 26
Keywords: Tex nroff tbl pic
Summary: TeX missing tbl and pic
Xref: mnetor net.text:1046 net.unix:5798

In article <210@NCSUVM> N38AA401@NCSUVM.BITNET writes:
>... If I'd known how much
>better TeX is I'd have taken on a paper route to get my laserwriter sooner.
>
>The only disadvantage is that things like tbl and pic are missing in TeX.
>eqn is built in and far better in TeX.

Tbl is really a separate program from nroff.  It was written after nroff was
in use awhile to satisfy the need for column-type data (tables).  Pic was
written for the same reason.

Instead of writing tbl for TeX, you could use a spreadsheet program to
generate your tables, and simple include the outputed table in your TeX
file.  If you have a MacPaint type of program, or your spreadsheet program
does charts (bar, pie, etc.), you can just include these also.

Don't worry.  Someday someone will write a tbl for TeX (and we'll all have
to put up with tbl's syntax for another few centuries :-)

Wayne H. Pollock,
UUCP:	...{ihnp4,cbatt}!cbnap!whp
DELPHI:	WHP
GEnie:	W.POLLOCK

	"The opinions expressed above are ficticious.  Any resemblance
	to the opinions of persons living or dead is purely coincidental."