why Lout?

[Dan Wamba]

Hi all,

I feel this list should be devoted to more technical
matters, but nevertheless I decided to post boring
message:

I have been reading the discussion which became a bit
lively after the programming book subject was touched.
I would like to bring in - if it is possible - yet
another "basic" subject:

Why do we use Lout (am really curious), why are we
trying to understand it, what do we think it has and
other dtp systems have not and what should it be like?

As for me:

- I am a user writing his documents, not a programmer
or someone who earns his money on typing /
professional publishing.

- I have discovered Lout because it is a part of
RedHat Linux distribution on CD.

- I have started with reading User's guide because I
was frustrated I never got what I wanted when writing
a paper and I got attracted by the preface :-)

- Till now I have considered TeX the only serious
alternative to plain text when writing a paper,
documentation etc. I have written many simple TeX
macros but it was always a problem to get further. I
do not understand source for LaTeX packages etc. I
have skimmed the TeXbook but I felt I do not have time
to learn it throughfully. ...Well, troff macros was
another alternative.

- I went through Lout SysInclude files and I
understand more things in less time. They are
surprisingly short. I got almost anything I wanted
from Lout though I did not put much effort there and I
wanted *really queer* things :-)

- I like Lout because it is platform independent and
small (I do not know why but I really dislike vast
programs).

- Lout is GREAT in its ability to produce both plain
text and ps/pdf from same simple docs!!! (TeX does ps
and pdf too, but not the plain text)

- Lout went the right way it used postscript as its
base.

Why do I write it? Because I would like to help to
find the principles which are the best in Lout and
which should further develop. My opinion is:

- Lout should (it is) be a highly and easily
configurable progamable system with stress on 
generality (unless it would conflict with relative
simplicity - do not be too general). The most
important thing is it must be a pleasure to program
"in" Lout. In the same time it should stay simple -
even minimal. Then:

- People on Internet (some have already asked for a
programming manual :-) will then start to write many
smart packages and back-ends for special purposes and
call for small improvements of the core. 

- I think Lout could become very popular and spread
then ... there may be many frustrated Ms Word users
who realize they happen to move the rodent around the
screen [and solve compatibility problems] more time
than do real work. (Ok I know they probably love to be
where they are)

with regards 
Daniel


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