Marcel Oliver writes:
> So would anybody be interested seriously set up a portable LaTeX
> project?
i, for one, could consider asking my management to allow me time to
work on it. i would volunteer to work on the
reference LaTeX-subset to *ML converter.
> I think the frontmatter/bibliography stuff we have discussed enough,
but we havent resolved it...:-}
> For area 3, one would initially need at least one reference
> implementation of a LaTeX to *ML converter were one must make sure
> that it supports a complete portable LaTeX standard which allows
> serious scientific publishing without unnecessary restrictions. (Would
> the Elsevier converter come close to this description?) Moreover, a
the Elsevier converter is slightly odd. I would suggest, rather, that
a TeX4ht configuration to produce XML/MathML is more realistic, and portable.
Eitan Gurari and I have done a lot of this already.
> (TeX based) LaTeX package for verifying that the portability of a
> LaTeX file.
we tried that once here. one can go quite a long way, i think
> - LaTeX is hackable. While this is certainly opposed to the goals of a
..
> I believe a lot of resistance to a pure *ML solution comes from the
> fear for loss of hackability.
of course, i agree. its a real issue
a cautionary tale: i am in the process of learning Java, and
have great problems readjusting myself to a `real' language after the
freedom of Perl. but i will persist, because I know my Perl programs
are not going to stand the test of time. i feel the same about LaTeX -
I can write fast in it, like it, get results with it, but I know its
not good for me. so i must force myself to readjust. i'll do my
hacking in a different part of the process
> Do people feel that such an approach is useful and has a sufficient
> chance of success? If so, would anybody actually do some work? I am
i feel very strongly that your suggestions will get nowhere without a
single leader, who can devote real time to it. i know i advocate Bazaarism, but
in this case, it'll get nowhere without a coordinator. IMHO.
Sebastian
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