From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: crashedandburnt1@hotmail.com (Crashedandburnt) Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.help Subject: Re: Program structure of Pstricks, what is its basic structure? Date: 22 Feb 2004 19:53:00 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com Sender: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Message-ID: <42414174.0402221953.24c938a6@posting.google.com> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: deer.gmane.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: sea.gmane.org 1077508875 16993 80.91.224.253 (23 Feb 2004 04:01:15 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@sea.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 04:01:15 +0000 (UTC) Original-X-From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Mon Feb 23 05:01:09 2004 Return-path: Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by deer.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 1Av7HI-0005OG-00 for ; Mon, 23 Feb 2004 05:01:09 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.30) id 1Av7Gt-0000Nk-S3 for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Sun, 22 Feb 2004 23:00:43 -0500 Original-Path: shelby.stanford.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!cyclone.bc.net!HSNX.atgi.net!cyclone-sf.pbi.net!216.218.192.242!news.he.net!newsfeed1.easynews.com!easynews.com!easynews!crtntx1-snh1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!newsfeed2.dallas1.level3.net!news.level3.com!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail Original-Newsgroups: comp.text.tex,comp.lang.postscript,gnu.emacs.help Original-Lines: 52 Original-NNTP-Posting-Host: 192.45.72.27 Original-X-Trace: posting.google.com 1077508381 32288 127.0.0.1 (23 Feb 2004 03:53:01 GMT) Original-X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com Original-NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 03:53:01 +0000 (UTC) Original-Xref: shelby.stanford.edu comp.text.tex:271366 comp.lang.postscript:76647 gnu.emacs.help:121126 Original-To: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org X-BeenThere: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.2 Precedence: list List-Id: Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.emacs.help:17076 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.help:17076 Herbert Voss wrote in message news: The problem is, that there is no documentation about this > low level structure. I am sorry to report a telephone conversation that I had some years ago with the author of this package. I vaguely remember his exact name, Timothy van zandt or sth like that. But what I clearly remember is that he was some kind of economist and wrote this package to write his book(s). He said that Leslie Lamport has made millions from his LaTeXbook and he expects [big] money for his package. He said that he has not released documentation on the package and will not release the documentation on how it works. I asked how he knew LL had made million? He said, just look at the printings, it has over a million. Assuming LL gets a dollar for the royalty, he has made a million bucks. The conclusion I want to present to the readership is the following. Only Richard Stallman, and Linus Trovalds are the true gnu/free software people. Gnu is coming with good books and manuals on the software. But Donald Knuth and others are all using free software slogan for their virus software. The Texbook is not available free, LEGALLY. It cannot be re-formed. Knuth has made millions off his books. Omega and Lout are emerging as strong competitors to TeX. Unless there is real free software, with good documentation on its usage and implemenation, it is not free software, but a virus software. If a group of volunteers want to save TeX/LaTeX, what is needed is to combine existing free manuals into a single good and comprehensive free manual. I can assure you, if it is free, tons of people will contribute to it, and Knuth+Lamport+Timothy's books and manuals will be obsolete overnight. What we need is a trust worthy coordinator like Mr Richard Stallman. Knuth's book is scrap. It is convoluted by malice or twist of his mind. It mixes advanced usage with basics. For contrast, compare, for example, the Adobe cookbook or thinking in postscript. I pick postscript because it is as extensive as TeX in its functions. CB has a very nicely organized glossary. Knuth wrote his book to impress his colleagues so that he can get an early retirement from Stanford by dominating his colleagues. This is exactly what the abuse of software to control the world is, and what Richard Stallman is crusading against. Gnu is now active in the next phase of its mission which is quality documentation. But since TeX is not FSF software, they are not likely to focus on it. Someone active in this group is gonna have to do that. crashed and burnt