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Re: ? Zed

> I'm just trying to get order into that storm of messages and news. Here is
> question one:
> What does Z, OTT and CSP mean?

Sorry, that's at least partly my fault.

"Z" is a specification language, based on set theory and predicate
calculus, developed at the PRG, Oxford.

"CSP" stands for "Communicating Sequential Processes", and is a process
algebra, that is, a language for expressing distributed systems. Also
developed at Oxford. Jim Davies mentioned this in passing. (Guess where
Alan's, Jim's and my alma mater is.)

"OTT" is not (directly) anything to do with computer science. It stands for
"over the top", which is slang for "in excess". Also the name of a
long-defunct (I presume) British TV programme. I used it to describe the
addition of four different sets of brackets that currently half a dozen
people have a need for (but which would doubtless find other uses if
available).

> I generally support the notion of having a core with the most general and
> often used symbols, a ``halo'' of less often and general used symbols --
> these two might constitute the new standard set -- and extension modules
> for special purposes.

Sounds like a good idea. As long as we can make sure that the "extension
modules" are still "standard", so that people can distribute DVI files
using them and assume that the recipient has the fonts. That was at least
one of the purposes, if not the main purpose, of the St Mary's Rd font,
wasn't it, Alan?

(The idea of an "OTT extension module" sounds eminently sensible to me!)

Jeremy