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Re: hard copy publication
Since I have done this a bunch of times, I volunteered last fall to
help Lojbab and John Cowan with hard copy publication of the
Reference Grammar.
As I understand them, current plans are for John Cowan to write the
chapters of the Grammar in plain ascii in a consistent and orderly
format. This will permit him to write a script to convert the papers
to HTML automatically. I will take either the plain ascii version or,
more likely, the HTML version, and automatically convert that to
Texinfo.
Texinfo is a mark up language that enables you to use a single source
file to produce plain ascii output, nicely typeset.dvi or PostScript
output, and online Info or HTML output --- that is, a single source
for both printed outputs of various sizes and formats as well as for
online, hypertext formats.
I have worked with both Texinfo and HTML. Texinfo is designed for
multi-format output; in particular, it is much better than HTML for
printed output.
The hard copy typeset version will be printed in a 7 by 9.25 inch size
(178mm by 235mm), which is a standard book size I have used with
another dozen books. (You can configure Texinfo to produce any size
below about 18 feet (6m); other standard sizes are A4 paper and 8.5 by
11 inch.)
For on-line browsing, you can use HTML format or Info format. Or, of
course, you can read the plain ascii version.
In any case, please focus your attention on the *content* of the
Reference Grammar, not the superficials of presentation.
I know it is easy (and fun!) to get distracted by particular
formatting issues, but such distraction can waste time. When ready,
we will have a document that you can read in HTML, plain ascii, and in
a typeset, printed book format. You can use the formats you prefer.
Meanwhile, you can go to the archives and see the various papers in
their current forms (plain ascii and HTML).
URLs: ftp://powered.cs.yale.edu/pub/lojban/draft/refgrammar/
http://xiron.pc.helsinki.fi/lojban/
.a'o se'inai .a'u se'inai
(See `lojban/draft/refgrammar/attitude', sections 3 and 7.)
Robert J. Chassell bob@gnu.ai.mit.edu
25 Rattlesnake Mountain Road bob@rattlesnake.com
Stockbridge, MA 01262-0693 USA (413) 298-4725