[tug-summer-of-code] Wanted: A LaTeX3 mentored project

[Will Robertson]

Hi Jonathan,

I'm interested in hearing your ideas.

On 18/02/2009, at 6:07 PM, Jonathan Fine wrote:

> For many reasons, I think it would be good all round if someone in  
> the LaTeX3 project could mentor a GSOC project.  I'm not thinking of  
> asking a student to contribute to the LaTeX3 core.
>
> I'm looking for a project that will help the LaTeX3 project, rather  
> than divert them.  And which will help others.
>
> I'm thinking of something along the lines of development tools for  
> writing, testing and debugging TeX macros, or tools to ease the  
> transition from LaTeX2e to LaTeX3.

We're too early to talk about helping transitions, I think. A script  
to transform some LaTeX programming code to expl3 syntax might be fun  
but you well know how limited it would be. And would miss the point of  
a lot of the ideas in expl3.

Some work could be done extending the scripts we've got for  
documenting and testing the modules, but it wouldn't be three months  
work.

A more promising avenue of investigation might be to develop more  
"xpackages" written in the new language, incorporating many of the  
ideas in the more successful LaTeX packages.

Another area might be to develop broad document specification; working  
out the full extent of the syntax that we should support by default in  
LaTeX3 without needing extra packages.

If someone were really inspired, merging breqn and unicode-math has  
been on my todo list for ages.

* * *

These all require a certain degree or more of experience in LaTeX2e  
programming and experience.

Obviously I don't speak on behalf of the team, these are just my  
personal thoughts. In terms of finding a mentor, there's no chance  
than Frank or Chris have got enough time, neither Morten; it's either  
me or Joseph.

Will
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