I think Mittelbach explained here that Lamport constructed LaTeX around a Pascal look-a-like syntax. I think that the LaTeX project (if not already done) should decide if this syntax should be official or not with respect to inputted code: If so, there should be tools, helping the user to ensure that the input syntax is correct. Let me illustrate the problem: I use to write \newcommand\foo{...} but the LaTeX syntax is (I think) \newcommand{\foo}{...} A spellchecker I use would expect the latter, and stop spellchecking entirely if it encounters the former. Now, if the syntax is official, this is correct behavior, but if it is unofficial (that is, something just used internally by the LaTeX design team), it is incorrect. In other words, the problem shows up in the interface between LaTeX and other programs. One such tool for recognizing the LaTeX syntax could be showing the source code in a text editor with styled text. But one would also expect some syntax checker being available. Hans Aberg * Email: Hans Aberg <mailto:[log in to unmask]> * AMS member listing: <http://www.ams.org/cml/>