Hello Bill >> if I may run the last thought on: Certainly! >> and that can be regarded as definitive by those who write programs for >> translating LaTeX to-and-from other formats agreed, and >> I think a standard list of core LaTeX user level commands (from the kernel and core packages) would be great. >> but >> Because it will not be frozen forever in time, >> yes, this is needed in addition to a I had been thinking of both a 'standard' that is fixed (unless, for example, a new package clearly needs to be added or the basic user commands get extended (very unlikely!)) and, in addition, a non-frozen list (or lists) of what is 'available' 'widely used' or 'what XXX-system understands': these lists would then be easier to create since they can be of the form standard + <additions> - <unsupported/unused>. It may turn out that there is a need for more than one such 'standard': from where I sit, bombarded by YAMathInput system versions, just to get basic-math + amsmath structures into a well-publicised standard would be really useful. Would such standards suit you too? >> it should be something that is distributed with LaTeX. That of course is up to Them:-). (Getting anything distributed is quite a pin these days.) Any other ideas/comments form suppliers/users of LaTeX-encoded documents would be welcome. Thanks, chris --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302)