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From: terry@nrcvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Why troff?
Message-ID: <765@nrcvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 23-Jan-87 14:08:10 EST
Article-I.D.: nrcvax.765
Posted: Fri Jan 23 14:08:10 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Jan-87 19:51:26 EST
References: <362@linus.UUCP>
Reply-To: terry@nrcvax.UUCP (Terry Grevstad)
Distribution: comp.text
Organization: Network Research Corp.  Oxnard, CA
Lines: 35
Keywords: TeX, troff

sdo@linus.UUCP (Sean David O'Neil) says:
>My question is this - why does anyone continue to use troff?  This is a
>serious question here, I'm being neither smug nor snide.  From the number
>of articles about troff posted in this newsgroup there clearly exists a
>large number of people who use troff and support it.  Anyone who can
>use troff can learn to use TeX, so simplicity can't be the reason, and
>besides there are lots of really simple WYSIWYG formatters around today,
>so convenience seems unlikely as well.  Is it just inertia?

I love troff.  I tell it exactly what to do, and it does it.  I like
the complete control and flexibility it gives me.  I can get it to do
anything I want it to do, and as I use it more I am constantly
learning more about it.

My past experience with word processing software has predominantly
been with such things as WordStar and WordPerfect.  I used to think
WordPerfect was absolutely wonderful, but the more I use troff, the
less I like WordPerfect.  I'm not familiar with TeX so I can't judge
between the two.  

I don't know about inertia.  If you are perfectly satisfied with what
you have where is the impetus to change?


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without a                                              Terry Grevstad
 ECNALG                                  Network Research Corporation
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