[Tugindia] FWD: Subject: Re: [ilugd] Re: hindustan times -> TeXnical deviation

[Kapil Hari Paranjape]

Dear Amitabh and LL,

Amitabh wrote:
> Here is some food for thought for the TeX commune! 

>  --- LinuxLingam <linuxlingam at bhairon.com> wrote: >
> > 
> > LL realizes TeX is quite difficult for graphic
> > design and imagery, where 

What is "graphic design and imagery". If this means creating
2D, 3D, 2D-animation and 3D-animation graphics, then surely
that is not the purpose of TeX!

> > designers think visually, work visually, and want a
> > WYSIWYG metaphor,

To me (I confess I'm a geometeer) "think visually" means I don't really
what to say precisely what I want---but I want the computer to guess!

> > TeX is almost impossible for pony-tailed,
> > cigarette-chain-smoking, 
> > on-the-edge creative art directors who want to push
> > the outer limits of their 
> > imagery and creativity for that eye-popping ad
> > spread, that 6 spot color 
> > brochure with matte varnish finishes, fascinating
> > pointofpurchase danglers, 
> > and especially package-design, from that cereal box
> > graphics design to that 
> > new pizza delivery cardboard box design.

Why would *anyone* want to use TeX for this kind of design.

> > until then, TeX is for 'document engineering.'

TeX was, is, will be for "document engineering" assuming that
that means "typesetting" documents. With the addition of pdfTeX
we can combine this with "preparing" presentations *providing*
that a large proportion of this presentation consists of
material that TeX is good at---text and formulae. For more
*graphic* presentations one should go elsewhere (e. g. to
magicpoint). 

> > ps: amitabh, please forward this to the tugindia
> > mailing list as well.

Perhaps one day it will be possible to combine the different
"multimedia" elements into the Grand Unified Format (XML?).

Even in such an eventuality, no one who wants to be creative with the
graphic arts can really do this with a "click-clack-cluck" approach to
computers. Most great water/oil paitings were made by individuals who
really knew their practical chemistry---and figured out how to create
their own colours!

Regards,

Kapil.

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