0.992 feedback

[Ulrik Vieth]

I've just had a quick look at the diff between 0.991 and 0.992:

> --- 562,573 ----
>   
> \item[\replaceable{mode}] is a name which identifies the device type
> (examples: \path|cx|, \path|ljfour|, \path|modeless|).  Usually, this is
> the name of the \MF{} mode used to build the \path|PK| file.  For fonts
> rendered as bitmaps by a program that does not distinguish between
> different output devices, the \replaceable{mode} name shall be simply
> \path|modeless|.  The \replaceable{mode} level shall not be omitted,
> even only a single mode happens to be in use.
  ^^^^^^^^^ even _if_ only 

>--- 922,928 ----
>   
> \item Names and extensions may consist of \emphasis{only} the characters
> \literal{A}--\literal{Z}, \literal{0}--\literal{9}, and underscore.
> Lowercase letters are excluded.

I wonder whether it might have been a little too early to take out the
comment about mixed-cased font descriptor files in LaTeX prior to
December 96.  After all, those files may be still in use at many sites
and may still be generated when installing contributed packages
currently found on CTAN.  

What about adding a sentence explaning that having mixed-cased file
names was a common case until recently and that the LaTeX team has
decided to phase out those names for the sake of portability?

> --- 982,989 ----
>   deliberations (see Appendix~\ref{sec:Related references} for a sample
>   tree available electronically).  They will certainly result in the
>   production of a substantial number of \abbr{TDS}-compliant packages.
> + Indeed, the te\TeX{} and \TeX{} Live distributions are TDS-compliant and
                ^^^^^^^      ^^^^^^^^^^^  \application     ^^^ \abbr{TDS}
> + in use now at many sites.
  
Looks like you're getting lazy about mark-up ;-)

> --- 1316,1340 ----
>   
> \subsubsection{Modeless bitmaps}
  
> The \abbr{TDS} specifies using a single directory \path|modeless/| as
> the mode name for those utilities which generate bitmaps, e.g.,
> \path|texmf/fonts/modeless/times/|.  This has the considerable advantage
> of not requiring each such directory name to be listed in a search path.
> 
> An alternative was to use the utility name below which all such
> directories could be gathered.  That has the advantage of separating,
> say, \path|gsftopk|-generated bitmaps from \path|ps2pk|-generated ones.
> However, we decided this was not sufficient; most sites will use only
                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
> one program for the purpose.  Also, we specify that every font
> identifies its creator in specials in the font file itself.
  
I don't understand what you mean.  Given that most sites will use only
one such program, it is _not necessary_ to sepearate bitmaps produced
by different programs.  If you say it is _not sufficient_,  it sounds 
as if some further separation would be needed.  Please explain!


So much about the latest changes.  I haven'tread the other sections
that have remained unchanged in order not to raise any issues that
may have long since been settled or forgotten about.

Cheers, Ulrik.


P.S. Technical points:

(1) It appears that tds2texi.el and tdsguide.cls have been changed
    without updating the RCS version numbers and time stamps.

(2) tdsguide.cls mentions some problems about using `hyperref'. Did 
    you consider trying `hyper' instead (latex/contrib/supported)?  

    I've had a quick try at it and it appears that simply adding 
    \usepackage{hyper} is enough to activate just the internal links 
    (\tableofcontents and \ref) while it leaves \path, \url, \email 
    and such alone.  To activate links to external files in those 
    cases where you may want it, however, you'll have to use some 
    special markup tags like \HyperURL defined in the package.