[tex-live] Re: [tex-k] TeX finding filenames with spaces

[Sebastian Rahtz]

Staszek Wawrykiewicz wrote:
     a) even having \pdfoutput=0 in the .ini file for XXX format generation,
>       pdf(e)tex still reads pdftex.cfg with output_format 1, so pdf
>       is forced anyway. In consequence, all users have to include
>       the proper command to all their existing input files. Objection!
details, details. we can change the .cfg file

>    b) for many users pdf as default output is not needed at all!
it would not be the default. it would depend on what command you used

>       they still need reliable output in dvi/ps which can simply crash
>       in the pdf way (not to mention professional usage -- playing
>       with color separations, transformations, etc). Sorry, but PS has 
>       better defined definition than pdf, which is still in turn 
>       of changing.

hmm. I don't think history will support you. PostScript started off 
clean, turned into an extended mess, and now looks frozen. PDF started 
clean, and has remained clean, with incremental development. more or 
less ;_]


>    c) I'm not against changing the main engine to pdfetex for all formats
>       provided that _all_ can use it as replacement of the TeX engine, 
>       not only us, developers.
why would that be hard to deliver?

>    d) TeX engine and Plain should be also kept on TL.
no-one mentioned killing plain (yet!). the TeX engine can
remain in source form for archaeologists

>    e) I know the ideas expressed by Fabrice and Seb, but I think
>       that we still should provide all that metafont mess which you hate.
>       Otherwise, we have to change 'TeX Live' name to 'PDFeTeX Live' ;-}

good plan....

-- 
Sebastian Rahtz      Information Manager
Oxford University Computing Services
13 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6NN. Phone +44 1865 283431