> Am 04.01.2021 um 15:30 schrieb Hans Hagen <j.ha...@xs4all.nl>: > > On 1/4/2021 2:18 PM, Ulrike Fischer wrote: > >>> Of course it helps to understand basic TeX stuff – but you’re not >>> supposed to use (plain) TeX commands in LaTeX, while it is or was >>> much more usual in ConTeXt. >> Well we discourage the use of plain commands to avoid that new users >> trip over bewildering errors from stuff like "abc \hskip 2cm plus >> cde", but it is not forbidden to use them. > Hm, \hskip is not a plain command but a language primitive. And there's > nothing wrong with using primitives, assuming that one knows how they work > (and in this case that a \relax does wonders). > > One of those 'persistent' wrong ideas about context is that it somehow is > kind of plain but decided to not waste time arguing that. There are actually > not that many commands in 'plain' anyway. Much of plain tex is setting up > math (and all macro packages support those symbolic names and the basic math > structures), some fonts (all macro package set up some font system and maybe > some aliases that make it easier for plain users), > but as soon as one uses latex or context or ... some different output routine > kicks in, table mechanisms show up, \item has a different meaning, etc. (The > early macro packages were kind of plain themselves: demanding redefinition of > internals and such.)
I don’t know anything about Knuth’s Plain TeX, I always mean plain TeX. ;) And I mix up primitives and "basic" commands, because it doesn’t matter for me. My mistake. What I meant: In ConTeXt code (by users and maybe only in old sources) I see a lot of TeX constructs, e.g. you’re using \def (TeX) and not \define (ConTeXt) because you know it makes no difference. And when I can’t achieve the right vertical spacing with \blank[something], I use \vskip, because it works. LaTeX replaces many basic commands/primitives (\vskip -> \vspace), ConTeXt might too, but with the same name. Hraban ___________________________________________________________________________________ If your question is of interest to others as well, please add an entry to the Wiki! maillist : ntg-context@ntg.nl / http://www.ntg.nl/mailman/listinfo/ntg-context webpage : http://www.pragma-ade.nl / http://context.aanhet.net archive : https://bitbucket.org/phg/context-mirror/commits/ wiki : http://contextgarden.net ___________________________________________________________________________________
