Re: a DSSSL typesetter

Subject: Re: a DSSSL typesetter
From: Aleksandar Bakic <bakicale@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 8 May 1998 19:49:58 -0400 (EDT)
That was just because my original idea was to first reimplement TeX in
Scheme, and then investigate how I could extend it, in a convenient
programming environment, but so that the new implementation remains
compatible with the normal TeX (if possible, maybe in an "old TeX
mode"). One of the extensions I had in mind was use of a constraint
language embedded in Scheme (like the port of Steele's thesis or maybe
a future port of Siskind's and McAllester's Screamer) to improve TeX's
layout capabilities (e.g., for a magazine, to put boxes across pages,
wherever they would fit nicely).

Then I thought it might be better to first look at DSSSL and see if
something like this extension could be expressed in it (I still have
to figure that out). Even if not, it could be interesting to make a
back-end that would generate Scheme code that calls some typesetting
primitives of the new, extended TeX implementation. Altogether, TeX is
the only reason for DVI. However, I just printed out the PDF 1.2
specification from the web. Who knows what I might come up with next
:) Anyway, I will probably think about this in the following months,
and maybe start programming in my spare time if I get a clear enough
picture of the whole thing.

Aleks

> 
> I'm curious why you would choose DVI. TeX has the benefit of being
> text-based and hackable. PostScript is also text-based but less hackable
> (in practice). I'd always presumed that if TeX were written today it would
> output PS or PDF directly, rather through DVI.
> 
>  Paul Prescod  - http://itrc.uwaterloo.ca/~papresco
> 
> Can we afford to feed that army, 
>  while so many children are naked and hungry?
> Can we afford to remain passive, 
>  while that soldier-army is growing so massive?
>   - "Gabby" Barbadian Calpysonian in "Boots"
> 
> 
>  DSSSList info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/dsssl/dssslist
> 
> 


 DSSSList info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/dsssl/dssslist


Current Thread
  • Re: a DSSSL typesetter, (continued)
        • G. Ken Holman - from mail1.ability.netby web4-1.ability.net (8.8.5/8.6.12) with ESMTP id PAA17293Fri, 8 May 1998 15:11:48 -0400 (EDT)
        • Sebastian Rahtz - from mail1.ability.netby web4-1.ability.net (8.8.5/8.6.12) with ESMTP id EAA24156Mon, 11 May 1998 04:54:23 -0400 (EDT)
        • Brandon Ibach - from mail1.ability.netby web4-1.ability.net (8.8.5/8.6.12) with ESMTP id WAA14042Mon, 11 May 1998 22:35:57 -0400 (EDT)
    • Paul Prescod - from mail1.ability.netby web4-1.ability.net (8.8.5/8.6.12) with ESMTP id PAA19386Fri, 8 May 1998 15:43:21 -0400 (EDT)
      • Aleksandar Bakic - from mail1.ability.netby web4-1.ability.net (8.8.5/8.6.12) with ESMTP id TAA24113Fri, 8 May 1998 19:55:02 -0400 (EDT) <=
        • Sebastian Rahtz - from mail1.ability.netby web4-1.ability.net (8.8.5/8.6.12) with ESMTP id EAA24139Mon, 11 May 1998 04:54:04 -0400 (EDT)
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    • Reynolds, Gregg - from mail1.ability.netby web4-1.ability.net (8.8.5/8.6.12) with ESMTP id SAA22173Fri, 8 May 1998 18:40:48 -0400 (EDT)
      • Brandon Ibach - from mail1.ability.netby web4-1.ability.net (8.8.5/8.6.12) with ESMTP id RAA13180Sat, 9 May 1998 17:20:53 -0400 (EDT)