More economical but only by a by then unnoticeable amount, as you say. It is only the thought that ordinary users may have to change to a system that looks in any sense different (within the next 20 years or so) that frightens the millions, and their support staff: thus use of such language would perhaps be best avoided? Comments from others please. Chris Sent from a bar . . . maybe an iBar. On 18 Jul 2013, at 18:45, iPad Mittelbach <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I can't see anything worrying in that statement. What has developed so far for L3 nicely enough runs on top of a 2e format but the more it becomes complete the more will be the two centuries of plain TeX + LaTeX 2.09 + 2e code in the current format become a burden. > > And as a result there may be a point when it will be more economical to drop that format (and perhaps support certain 2e code as a package). > > Whether the new thing is then a format in the old sense or something that is loaded (like it is now into 2e) remains to be seen. So in that sense it might be not a "format" because these days the loading part is not really taking that long any more. > > Frank > > ... written on the iPad but not from an iBar > > Am 18.07.2013 um 16:56 schrieb Chris Rowley <[log in to unmask]>: > >> Joseph >> >>>> Until we actually have the basics of a new format, >> >> A new format??? >> >> That sounds worrying as I am passing the message to the million+ everyday users of LaTeX that there will never again be a need for different 'formats' with all its technical and sociological problems, primarily because they are handy only for last century's technology levels. >> >> So I hope we can have a consistent message on this. >> >> Chris >> >> >> PSent from a bar . . . maybe an iBar. >>