Re: DSSSL Documentation Project?

[Tony Graham <tgraham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 10 Jun 1997 14:57 +0900, Frank Christoph wrote:
 > > The text of the standard is useful to you, but I'm postulating that
 > > there are people starting out with DSSSL who want something simpler
 > > with more hand-holding than the precise wording of an International
 > > Standard.
 > 
 > "Hand-holding" is a really awful word.

I'm sorry, I hadn't realised it would be taken badly;  it certainly
wasn't meant badly.  I won't use it again.

 > I am certainly in favor of more documentation for DSSSL, hand-holding or
 > whatever you want to call it.  I know I've been mystified on several
 > issues, some of which have been cleared up since I discovered this list;

Good.  I'm glad the list is helpful to others as well as to me.

 > I am sure there are many others who have not been so lucky.  I think
 > John Fieber's outline is an excellent place to start.  I would also like
 > to see some subject-oriented (as opposed to task-oriented) explications
 > of parts of the standard, i.e., answers to the question, "Why is this here?
 > What is the point of this?"  For example, what is the point of:
 > 
 >   * generated text?

...

 > Or,
 > 
 >   * What is the difference between a quantity, a length-spec, an inline space
 >     and a display space?

Can you answer one of your own questions, either fully or in an
outline or abstract, so we can get a better idea of what you want to
see in DSSSL documentation?

 > These are not beginner's topics, I suppose, but it can be difficult to grasp
 > the standard as a whole without understanding at least the purposes of the
 > features.  Also, I think the average person will be unfamiliar with some of
 > the typesetting jargon (I know I am).  As some simple examples, what is
 > 
 >   * a spread?

...

 >   * kendot scoring?

Sounds like you want a glossary (with pictures).  Are there others who
would like to see a glossary?

Regards,


Tony Graham
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Tony Graham, Consultant
Mulberry Technologies, Inc.                         Phone: 301-231-6931
6010 Executive Blvd., Suite 608                     Fax:   301-231-6935
Rockville, MD USA 20852                 email: tgraham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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