Adam, I read you replies to the various "ditch latex" messages from various people. I am not sure it is going to be constructive to have a blow-by-blow email ping pong. You appear to have had a very bad time of installing and using LaTeX which has over-coloured your perception. I suspect also that your previous knowledge of XML has made using DocBook/XML easier than it would be for someone coming to it afresh. I would like to have the opportunity of convincing you that LaTeX is a superb tool for all documentation not just books, but at this stage I think that is a "pub conversation".
What is crucial here is what do the activists feel better using to achieve the goal. Hans started with LaTeX because it was easy for him. I do not think that the documentation has really followed through the full DSL approach that both LaTeX and XML encourage and this is part of the problem. DocBook/XML out of the box appears to be a better fit for your mindset that LaTeX out of the box. There are two ways forward: 1. Tidy up and make more sophisticated the LaTeX so that the markup language is more minimalistic. 2. Switch to DocBook/XML and suffer the problems that brings. I do not think switching to a wiki style markup is a sound choice in this situation, LaTeX or XML are the only sound choices. The single most important point here is which is the one that people in general are most likely to keep up to date and extend. There have been points made on either side, some more emotive than others, but most containing important factors. I think this is a point at which simple decisiveness is needed, and so a benevolent dictatorship decision by Hans is in order. -- Russel. ==================================================== Dr Russel Winder Partner Concertant LLP t: +44 20 7585 2200, +44 20 7193 9203 41 Buckmaster Road, f: +44 8700 516 084 London SW11 1EN, UK. m: +44 7770 465 077
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