The following header lines retained to affect attribution:
|Date:         Wed, 16 Dec 1998 15:34:53 +0000
|Reply-To: Mailing list for the LaTeX3 project
|From: Sebastian Rahtz <[log in to unmask]>
|Subject:      Re: portable LaTeX
|To: Multiple recipients of list LATEX-L

|Hans Aberg writes:

| > These are kind of examples that I am looking: One should work directly with
| > an enhanced DVI, so that one does not get dependant on a long chain of
| > fixes.

|pdfTeX is a TeX version that implements an enhanced DVI, its called
|PDF. you know, that language for which our dot-matrix-loving-friend
|Herber can write drivers. there are two good, free, open source
|implementations of PDF drivers to start from

Dot matrix is not what I love.  (I also own a NEC LC890 as I already
mentioned which is an Adobe PostScript capable printer and is the mode
in which I usually use that printer.  Rather, it is the operating expense
difference that caused me to use the NEC P6 Pinwriter until it died.

A more accurate description is that I dislike PDF since, in my experience
supporting about 400 scientists whom use print files in a variety of formats,
generated by a variety of programs on a variety of platforms and which they
expect to display and print faultlessly everywhere, PDF files seldom work
properly.  I admit that that fault may not be with the design of PDF but
rather with the means by which they were generated.  I seldom have trouble
with DVI files.  I disagree with your description of PDF as an enhanced DVI,
based on that experience.  If PDF is desired, then use a DVI to PDF converter.

|now i ****promise**** not rise to any more baiting until next year

Yes, your baiting is unwelcome.

|sebastian

Randolph J. Herber, [log in to unmask], +1 630 840 2966, CD/CDFTF PK-149F,
Mail Stop 318, Fermilab, Kirk & Pine Rds., PO Box 500, Batavia, IL 60510-0500,
USA.  (Speaking for myself and not for US, US DOE, FNAL nor URA.)  (Product,
trade, or service marks herein belong to their respective owners.)