Input from EuroTeX (for the record)

[Ulrik Vieth]

Before I forget it, let me summarize some input I got from the 4allTeX
people during the EuroTeX meeting.  During the coffee-break on Wednesday
morning I was approached by one of them (can't remember who it was),
asking me about TDS.  As far as I remember their main points were the
following:

1.) They think, as a CD producer, they should be represented somehow
    in the TWG-TDS group.

2.) They think the TDS standard shouldn't leave open important questions
    about the location of the format files.  Instead it should specify
    everything, perhaps as a set of separate specifications for different
    platforms, but, in their view, the only way to achieve standardization
    was a concrete specification rather than just a recommendation.

3.) They weren't happy about the layout of the font tree, but I didn't find
    out what they actually wanted.  So far, they are centered on emTeX only,
    and maybe this has to do with the fact that subdirectory searching in
    emTeX isn't as fast as Eberhard Mattes would like it to be and therefore
    doesn't follow the TDS draft in his distribution so far.

Personal comments about this:

1.) If they are interested, they are of course free to join our discussions,
    but I forgot to point this out to them specifically.  Perhaps it might
    be a good idea to ask them directly unless we get some input from them
    in the next time.

2.) I told them that the next version of the TDS draft might include
    appendices addressing the structure of the implementation-dependent
    stuff for various platforms (VMS, web2c, possibly others).

3.) I have no idea what they wanted concerning the font tree, but as 
    mentioned above I guess it might be related to what emTeX does or 
    does not.

After Joachim's presentation of the TDS draft and during the subsequent
panel session there weren't actually many questions and I was a bit
surprised that the 4allTeX people didn't raise their questions there.
Perhaps this was because the panel session was overshadowed by the 
topics e-TeX, Omega and LaTeX3 so that the TDS fell in the background.
As far as I remember there weren't any serious objections, so I guess
the best way to proceed is to see that we finalize the current draft
in the near future taking into account the recent input.  Taking into
account the experience how long it took to produce the last draft,
I guess shortly before Christmas might be a good target date.

That's all.  I hope I haven't mis-represented the position of the
4allTeX people.

Cheers,
Ulrik.