[XeTeX] Beginner questions

[Ulrike Fischer]

Am Sat, 23 Oct 2010 11:27:46 +0200 schrieb Peter Dyballa:


>> 1. Is it possible to replace unicode by applemac encoding? What are  
>> the commands in this case?
 
> If you want to continue typing in applemac input encoding you better  
> stay with the much more developed pdfTeX.  All packages work with  
> pdfTeX, and additionally you gain micro-typography. And: you can also  
> continue to use PostScript fonts.

Why shouldn't someone be forced to use utf8 encoding if its texts
use only chars from a 8bit codepage? Xetex is quite able to handle
them if you declare the encoding. Also why is pdftex "more
devoloped"? Because it doesn't offer Open Type support? And it is
new to me that "all packages work with pdftex", fontspec e.g.
doesn't do it. Also XeTeX has no problems to use Postscript fonts
either. But you are right: pdftex has better microtypography
support. 


> A PostScript font is for XeTeX or LuaTeX as useful as a  
> French car without gas for its owner or user.

Well I'm using a lot of postscript fonts with xetex and luatex, e.g.
to print chessboards and chess games and find them very useful. 

-- 
Ulrike Fischer