Re: TeX vs LaTeX

[Joost Kremers <joostkremers@yahoo.com>]

Sébastien Vauban wrote:
>>> or
>>>
>>>     ,----[ a short introduction ]
>>>     |
>>>     | Marking up text
>>>     | Emphasis: {\em ...} or \textem{...}
>>>     `----
>>
>> that one's 14 years old.

actually, that one's only four years old, my mistake. (or the author's,
because i was already using latex in 2004 and i don't think \textem still
existed then...)

the reason for the namechange (\textem --> \emph) probably lies in the fact
that this command toggles between italic and upright shapes, while the
other \textxx commands choose a shape/weight unconditionally.

> But that doesn't change the essence of my question... ;-)

i seem to remember reading on comp.text.tex once that some tex commands are
redefined in latex, so that they behave slightly differently when used in
latex than when used in tex. (the point being that you should avoid using
tex commands in latex unless you *really* know what you're doing.)

the general consensus is that you should use either tex or latex, and not
mix them. so distinguishing between the two types of commands probably
isn't a high priority for many people, which means it isn't implemented in
tex/latex modes or auctex. certainly with auctex it isn't impossible to
configure the system to do what you want, but you'd probably have to quite
a lot of customisation. personally, i don't think it's worth the effort.


-- 
Joost Kremers                                      joostkremers@yahoo.com
Selbst in die Unterwelt dringt durch Spalten Licht
EN:SiS(9)