From: tlm@nextasy (Tom Marchioro)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc
Subject: Re: NeXT TeX and Postscript (was Re: Neuron (really networking NeXT vs. Mac))
Date: 14 Apr 92 22:06:13 GMT
Organization: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

sowa@amdew.llnl.gov (Erik C. Sowa) writes:
: In article <1992Apr13.035754.11198@utstat.uucp>, philip@utstat.uucp (Philip McDunnough) writes:
: >Moreover in order to use fonts on a Mac it is a straiforward
: >procedure. Using them with NeXT TeX doesn't seem to be. Nor does printing
: >if you aren't using a NeXT laser printer at 400 dots/in.
: 
: Not true. Folks, if you care, just try it out with the upgraded
: dvips/TeXview available from labrea.stanford.edu. Don't forget to read
: the section of the dvips manual that discusses postscript fonts. Also
: note the resolution pop-up list on the print panel. In my experience, it
: just works.
: 
as does the latest version of TeXview (texview-a8.tar.Z) and dvips
(dvips5483.tar.Z).  The "alpha" process is about over and these apps
seem quite stable and far more functional than the old versions (though
I'm still trying to get Tom Rokicki to add a "Page Inspector" which
puts all of the mouse buttons in a convenient and movable panel).

<snip snip>

: 
: >While we are on the TeX issue, why not try Textures. It has continuous
: >previewing( see what you get when you enter your code). This is something
: >not available on the NeXT. It's almost a WYSIWYG TeX. It's great.
: 
: Because it's proprietary and it needs a Mac. Continuous previewing is
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
	     and expensive, $695 ($495 academic) and the PS fonts
             are $195 (can't remember if they come with the basic
             package or not). The PS fonts are not without their 
own drawbacks. For small documents they generate files which are 
*huge* in comparison wiht the ones using bitmaps, and depending on 
your configuration (and choice of font sizes) they can print far
more slowly.  I have no complaints about Textures or Blue Sky in 
general. A good company making a good product (and expecting to be
paid properly for it) but I really don't think Textures stacks up
well with NeXT-TeX. The continous previewing is a *disadvantage* 
once your document contains tables, embedded graphics, difficult
equations, or gets to be more than 2-3 pages long (and if it has
none of those features why are you using TeX for it?).  And NeXT-TeX
has some amazing features of its own, particularly on any included
graphics where it trivially supports cropping, rotating, scaling, 
etc. etc. and, in the latest releases, straightforward addition of 
color for any TeX object (think how helpful that will be when the 
NeXT color LW comes out).  Plus the latest release has added the -E
option to dvips, which allows you to make encapsulated postscript
output from TeX (great for dropping into Adobe Illustrator or Diagram! :-)
No other TeX package has that (and did I have to *bug* Rokicki to 
get it done.  Turned out to be very hard and he's embarassed because
it's not "perfect."  Wish all developers were like that). 
 
: (IMHO) distracting. Emacs/auc-tex (or T. L. Marchiori's clever Edit
        ^^^^^^^^^^^^
	you're being kind             
: hacks for those who don't believe in the One True Editor) and Rokicki's
		                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
					  I'll resist the challenge :-)

: fine software are more than good enough: For the functionality and
: price, they are unbeatable.
: 

Actually, several of my hacks are now outdated.  If you like to use 
Edit with TeX then definitely check out TeXmenu on Sonata.  It does
completely what I only touched on, ie integrates the Editor, TeX and 
Previewer in a simple way.  It's a tad counter-intuitive at first, 
but now I use it all the time (great icon too!).  There are a few minor
bugs which I reported to the author and which will he says will be 
fixed shortly.  It works especially well (and fast!) wiht the new
TeXview.  

: --
: erik sowa (sowa@amdew.llnl.gov)
: Rokicki for President!

Yes!  The most helpful person I've met in the industry.  He has my vote 
(will have to remember to get my absentee ballot form filled out) and
I don't even know his stand on health insurance or aid to the CIS :-)

Tom
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc