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From: mouse@mcgill-vision.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Why troff?
Message-ID: <641@mcgill-vision.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Feb-87 22:17:55 EST
Article-I.D.: mcgill-v.641
Posted: Wed Feb  4 22:17:55 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 9-Feb-87 03:09:20 EST
References: <362@linus.UUCP> <106@tg.UUCP> <1556@trwrb.UUCP>
Distribution: comp.text
Organization: McGill University, Montreal
Lines: 51
Keywords: TeX, troff

In article <1556@trwrb.UUCP>, simpson@trwrb.UUCP (Scott Simpson) writes:

> Here is a (surely incomplete) comparison of both troff and TeX.
Fine, but I have some comments (on both sides).

> Troff advantages
> ----------------
> -- Pic
> 	Troff can draw pictures.  TeX can't.

It can with the correct support software (I'm sure you need support
software for troff too, eg, pic and an output driver that supports it).
For instance, we have programs which take images, grayscale or binary,
and produce TeX fonts and a little TeX file which you \input to print
the picture.

> TeX disadvantages
> -----------------
> But when he wants to modify output routines and such, TeX becomes
> complex.

If you want to get deep into the guts of troff, I betcha it becomes
complex too!

> -- Cannot draw pictures

Addressed above.

> TeX advantages
> --------------
> -- Help facility
> 	TeX is interactive.  It will stop and give you short online
> help when it finds an error.

It rarely is much help.

! Missing $ inserted.
.....
? h
I've inserted a begin-math/end-math symbol because I think you've left
one out.  Proceed, with fingers crossed.
?

...gee, I could have told you that much from the first line.

					der Mouse

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