1988 Fools: TeXhax Digest Friday, April 1, 1988 Volume 88 : Issue 32
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TeXhax Digest Friday, April 1, 1988 Volume 88 : Issue 32
[SCORE.STANFORD.EDU]<TEX.TEXHAX>TEXHAX32.88
Editor: Malcolm Brown
Today's Topics:
Immoderate notes: TeXhax delivery
Research Assistant sought
LaTeX Notes: LeXTeX available
TeX 0.99 now available
new METAFONT fonts available
Finally!
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Date: Fri, 01 Apr 88 01:23:45 SST
From: Malcolm
Subject: Immoderate notes: TeXhax delivery
%%% The most recent set of digests have been truly a delight, from the
%%% moderator's point of view: not a single digest has been returned
%%% because of delivery complications! I've also worked my way through
%%% the backlog; as you can see, this digest is of a more modest size.
%%%
%%% Nevertheless, some people on the list will occasionally miss a digest
%%% because of some temporary problem with their machine. It may be
%%% off-line or for some other reason temporarily off the network when
%%% Score attempts to deliver the digest. The result is that the
%%% digest is returned undelivered. People who don't receive a digest
%%% complain (understandably), but I rarely have the time to send out
%%% numerous replacement copies.
%%%
%%% To circumvent this problem, I will begin a new procedure, starting
%%% next issue. I will send each digest three times. This way, everybody's
%%% machine will be available for at least one of those deliveries. I doubt
%%% anyone will really mind getting three copies of each digest, since it's
%%% a simple matter to tell mailer programs to delete extra copies.
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Date: 01-Apr-1988 01:23:45 SST
From: JSC.DPC@BrownVM (Josiah S. Carberry)
Subject: Research Assistant sought
A recent discovery among tablets uncovered during the last
Babel expedition indicates the likelihood that the long-expected
Ur-ThX document has been identified. Verification requires
reconstruction from shards and explanation of certain puzzling
features of the meta-cuneiform script. Fluency in stylustic
variations of the relevant period a necessity. Additional
field work awaits cessation of hostilities.
Qualified applicants are encouraged to send c.v. to
J. S. Carberry, Emeritus Prof.
Dept. of Psychoceramics
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912 U.S.A.
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Date: Fri, 01 Apr 88 01:23:45 SST
From: lamport@src.dec.com (Leslie Lamport)
Subject: LaTeX Notes: LeXTeX available
I have had numerous requests from foreign users of LaTeX to make it
easier to produce documents in languages other than English. After
much thought, I decided that this was a reasonable request. Moreover,
as long as I was going to make it easier to produce an entire document
in another language, it was a small step to add the extra flexibility of
producing a document in which only selected parts are in another
language.
The kind of transformations required are difficult to program in TeX.
Working from my specifications, Nero Kinshutup has written a Web
program called LeXTeX that is used in conjunction with LaTeX. Here's
how it works. Suppose the input file is named myfile.tex. This
file includes a \language declaration, such as
\language{french}
in the preamble. Material that is to appear in French is enclosed in a
`lexedtext' environment. The user first runs the file through LaTeX,
which causes LaTeX to produce the file myfile.lex, containing the
necessary information extracted from the input. The user then runs the
LeXTeX program by typing something like
lextex myfile
LeXTeX produces the file myfile.lxt, which is read the next time
LaTeX is run on the file myfile.tex. This produces output in which
all the text in the `lexedtext' environments has been translated into
French. For example, if the input file contains
Sartre revealed his feelings towards de Beauvoir when he said,
in a conversation with Camus:
\begin{lexedtext}
``Simone is a remarkably sensitive and intelligent woman.''
\end{lexedtext}
then the output will look something like
Sartre revealed his feelings towards de Beauvoir when he
said, in a conversation with Camus: <>
Note the French-style quotation marks. Of course, being a computer
program, LeXTeX will occasionally make small mistakes in the
translation. You can correct these in the .lxt file.
The introduction of LeXTeX represents a major step towards LaTeX's goal
of freeing the user to concentrate on content without being distracted
by form. He need not concern himself with petty details of font
selection, spacing, syntax, or vocabulary. This will be of special
benefit to foreigners, who need no longer wrestle with the complicated
tenses and declensions of their native tongue, but can instead
write in English, which is so much simpler.
Currently available language styles are: french, german, russian, and
japanese. The following should be available soon: cantonese, british,
navaho, rap, and ameslan.
Leslie Lamport
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Date: 02 Jul 83 01:23:34 SST
From: David Fuchs
Subject: TeX 0.99 now available
TeX82 version 0.99 is now available at SCORE in <TEX.WEB>. The VMS change files
won't be ready for another day or two. Note that the early chapters of the
TeXbook are now a little out of date; see the end of TeX82.DIF and TeX82.BUG.
The TOPS-20 change files now cause TeX to produce a ".LST" file instead of
a ".LOG" file, to avoid problems with running TeX in a batch or photo job.
The VMS change file will do the same.
Prof. Knuth is now tidying up the fonts. The new set should be available
in a week or two. In the meantime, you'll want the new CMI*.TFM files
that make use of the new \skewchar feature. Look on <TEX.FONTS> at SCORE.
[The fonts that will be forthcoming in mid-July have an improved layout,
incompatible with what we have now (e.g., ligatures and accents will be in
different positions), but Knuth claims that you will like the new layouts
when you see them. Fine tuning of the actual character shapes will
probably go on for another year, but the fonts to be released with TeX
version 1.0 will be no worse than the ones we already have.]
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Date: Fri, 01 Apr 88 01:23:45 SST
Subject: new METAFONT fonts available
From: Ken Yap <ken@cs.rochester.edu>
I am pleased to announce the availability of METAFONT sources for some
contributed fonts.
Uglie:
Described by critics as having a inimitable fuzzy approach to
typesetting. Both serifed and sans-serif Uglie styles are available.
Only available in magsteps of pi/2, pi, 3*pi/2, etc.
Ransom:
This font exhibits a wide variety of glyphtal styles, giving a feeling
of tension, invaluable for preserving the mood of high-powered
financial transactions. Only available in one magnification since that
is all you need.
Hierog:
Derived from recently unearthed inscriptions, this font will transform
the dullest technical paper into a charming, enigmatic product. Or
maybe nobody will notice the difference. Comes with instructions on how
to install a scraper option on your print engine.
2x4:
That's in pixels. A product influenced by RISC design, strongly
steeped in the minimalist school of font design. Invaluable for
workstation windows so you can decide whether there is any mail or you
should just go for lunch. Choice of square or rectangular pixels.
Security:
Protect your secret documents. This monospaced font will print
rectangles of ink where your characters should be. Available in
all-black (low security) or all-white (top security). Only one size.
(Why give away clues?)
You can obtain these METAFONT files in the usual way by sending a
request to the archive server. Your request should arrive between 1200
and 1201 GMT and contain an odd number of bits in the message. The
sources will be sent by return mail same time next year.
Ken
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Date: Sat 10 Dec 83 15:32:37-PST
From: David Fuchs
Subject: Finally!
I am glad to report that TeX version 1.0 is now official. Everything
is on Score for FTP, or you can get distribution tapes from Ron and
Maria Code. The DEC versions are ready now, the IBM ones will be a
little longer.
I am also glad to report that I have personally seen at least 4
different copies of The TeXbook in their final, bound form. We
are told that 400 copies will arrive at the Stanford bookstore
by Tuesday. Addison-Wesley's sales department has finally gotten
their act together, so you might want to check that your local
bookstore has an order placed with them. Once again, the title
is "The TeXbook" by Donald Knuth, ISBN # 13448.
Make sure that you get the latest fonts. The AMI5..AMI10 fonts
are now named AMMI5..AMMI10 (to keep people from using them for
text italics). Recent changes were made to AMU10, AMITT10, and
AMTI7..AMTI10. If you're using fonts named "CM*", then you're
way out of date.
Thank you all for being patient.
-david
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