texinfo NEWS ChangeLog doc/texinfo.txi

[Karl Berry]

CVSROOT:        /sources/texinfo
Module name:    texinfo
Changes by:     Karl Berry <karl>       12/02/20 16:41:32

Modified files:
        .              : NEWS ChangeLog 
        doc            : texinfo.txi 

Log message:
        obtaining tex text; "the" translator

CVSWeb URLs:
http://cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/texinfo/NEWS?cvsroot=texinfo&r1=1.210&r2=1.211
http://cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/texinfo/ChangeLog?cvsroot=texinfo&r1=1.1328&r2=1.1329
http://cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/texinfo/doc/texinfo.txi?cvsroot=texinfo&r1=1.422&r2=1.423

Patches:
Index: NEWS
===================================================================
RCS file: /sources/texinfo/texinfo/NEWS,v
retrieving revision 1.210
retrieving revision 1.211
diff -u -b -r1.210 -r1.211
--- NEWS        20 Jan 2012 18:00:57 -0000      1.210
+++ NEWS        20 Feb 2012 16:41:31 -0000      1.211
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-$Id: NEWS,v 1.210 2012/01/20 18:00:57 karl Exp $
+$Id: NEWS,v 1.211 2012/02/20 16:41:31 karl Exp $
 This NEWS file records noteworthy changes, very tersely.
 See the manual for detailed information.
 
@@ -44,22 +44,24 @@
   . #line directives are recognized.
   . DEL (0x7f = 0177 = 127) is a true comment character (catcode 14 in TeX).
 
-* texi2any is a new generic converter that can produce all supported
-  output formats, both those from texi2dvi (PDF/DVI) and from makeinfo
-  (Info/HTML/etc.).  With this release, texi2any, makeinfo, and
-  texi2html are all essentially the same program with different
-  defaults.
-
-  The new implementation is in Perl (originally the texi2html program).
-  It both replaces and is intended to be (for all practical purposes)
-  upward-compatible with the C makeinfo.  It has many new features not
-  in the C makeinfo.  For example, cross-manual references are now fully
-  supported, and extensive customization of the HTML output is possible.
-  See xxx in the manual for more about this reimplementation.
+* texi2any is the new generic converter for Texinfo that can produce all
+  supported output formats, both those from texi2dvi (PDF/DVI) and from
+  makeinfo (Info/HTML/etc.).  texi2any and makeinfo are now different
+  names for the same program; there are no differences in behavior based
+  on the program name.
+
+  The new implementation is in Perl (based on the texi2html program, but
+  with a vast array of subsequent changes).  It both replaces and is
+  intended to be (for all practical purposes) upward-compatible with the
+  C makeinfo.  It has many new features not in the C makeinfo.  For
+  example, cross-manual references are now fully supported, and
+  extensive customization of the HTML output is possible.  See the
+  `Generic Translator texi2any' chapter in the manual (among other places)
+  for more about this reimplementation.
   
   The new program is, unfortunately, noticeably slower at present than
-  the C program was.  We hope all the many improvements make the change
-  worthwhile nevertheless.
+  the C program was.  We hope all the many improvements make the new
+  version worthwhile for users nevertheless.
 
 * texinfo.tex:
   . urls (given to @uref and @url) are broken by default at special

Index: ChangeLog
===================================================================
RCS file: /sources/texinfo/texinfo/ChangeLog,v
retrieving revision 1.1328
retrieving revision 1.1329
diff -u -b -r1.1328 -r1.1329
--- ChangeLog   17 Feb 2012 18:10:40 -0000      1.1328
+++ ChangeLog   20 Feb 2012 16:41:31 -0000      1.1329
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+2012-02-20  Karl Berry  <address@hidden>
+
+       * doc/texinfo.txi (Obtaining TeX): update a bit, keep
+       www.gnu.org/prep/FTP in sync.
+
+       * NEWS, doc/texinfo.txi (Generic Translator texi2any): clarify
+       that there are no differences based on the program name (makeinfo
+       vs. texi2any).  Also, call it "the" translator instead of just "a"
+       and explain why.
+
 2012-02-17  Patrice Dumas  <address@hidden>
 
        * doc/texinfo.txi (Configuration Variables): update DEBUG and SHORTEXTN

Index: doc/texinfo.txi
===================================================================
RCS file: /sources/texinfo/texinfo/doc/texinfo.txi,v
retrieving revision 1.422
retrieving revision 1.423
diff -u -b -r1.422 -r1.423
--- doc/texinfo.txi     17 Feb 2012 18:10:40 -0000      1.422
+++ doc/texinfo.txi     20 Feb 2012 16:41:32 -0000      1.423
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 \input texinfo.tex    @c -*-texinfo-*-
address@hidden $Id: texinfo.txi,v 1.422 2012/02/17 18:10:40 pertusus Exp $
address@hidden $Id: texinfo.txi,v 1.423 2012/02/20 16:41:32 karl Exp $
 @c Ordinarily, Texinfo files have the extension .texi.  But texinfo.texi
 @c clashes with texinfo.tex on 8.3 filesystems, so we use texinfo.txi.
 
@@ -1014,7 +1014,8 @@
 your favorite format foo!  That is the hard way to do the job, and makes
 extra work in subsequent maintenance, since the Texinfo language is
 continually being enhanced and updated.  Instead, the best approach is
-modify @code{makeinfo} to generate the new format.
+modify @code{makeinfo} to generate the new format.  @xref{Generic
+Translator texi2any,, @command{texi2any}: The Generic Translator}.
 
 
 @node Info Files
@@ -1783,8 +1784,8 @@
 @command{texi2html} for years.  Thus, in effect two independent
 implementations of the Texinfo language had developed, and keeping
 them in sync was not simple.  Adding the HTML customization possible
-in @command{texi2html} to a C program would have been nearly
-impossible.
+in @command{texi2html} to a C program would have been an
+enormous effort.
 
 @item Unicode, and multilingual support generally, especially of east
 Asian languages.  Although of course it's perfectly plausible to write
@@ -15107,7 +15108,7 @@
 
 @item
 If you run @command{makeinfo} or its variants (@pxref{Generic
-Translator texi2any,, @command{texi2any}: A Generic Translator}), you
+Translator texi2any,, @command{texi2any}: The Generic Translator}), you
 can specify @option{--no-ifinfo --iftex -E somefile.out}, you can then
 give @file{somefile.out} to @code{texi2dvi} in a separate command.
 
@@ -16454,51 +16455,24 @@
 @cindex Obtaining @TeX{}
 @cindex @TeX{}, how to obtain
 
address@hidden !!! Here is information about obtaining TeX.  Update it whenever.
address@hidden !!! Also consider updating TeX.README on ftp.gnu.org.
address@hidden     Updated by RJC on 1 March 1995, conversation with MacKay.
address@hidden     Updated by address@hidden on 29 July 1996.
address@hidden     Updated by address@hidden on 25 April 1997.
address@hidden     Updated by address@hidden on 27 February 1998.
address@hidden is freely redistributable.  You can obtain @TeX{} for Unix
-systems via anonymous ftp or on physical media.  The core material
-consists of the Web2c @TeX{} distribution (@uref{http://tug.org/web2c}).
-
-Instructions for retrieval by anonymous ftp and information on other
-available distributions:
address@hidden://tug.org/unixtex.ftp}.
address@hidden is a document formatter that is used by the FSF for its
+documentation.  It is the easiest way to get printed output (e.g., PDF
+and PostScript) for Texinfo manuals.  TeX is freely redistributable,
+and you can get it over the Internet or on physical media.  See
address@hidden://tug.org/texlive}.
 
-The Free Software Foundation provides a core distribution on its Source
-Code CD-ROM suitable for printing Texinfo manuals.  To order it, contact:
-
address@hidden
address@hidden
-Free Software Foundation, Inc.
-51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor
-Boston, MA @ @ 02110-1301
-USA
-Telephone: @w{+1-617-542-5942}
-Fax: (including Japan) @w{+1-617-542-2652}
-Free Dial Fax (in Japan):
address@hidden } @w{ } @w{ } 0031-13-2473 (KDD)
address@hidden } @w{ } @w{ } 0066-3382-0158 (IDC)
-Electronic mail: @code{gnu@@gnu.org}
address@hidden group
address@hidden display
-
-Many other @TeX{} distributions are available; see
address@hidden://tug.org/}.
address@hidden let's try to keep that text in sync with www.gnu.org/prep/FTP
 
 
 @node Generic Translator texi2any
address@hidden @command{texi2any}: A Generic Translator for Texinfo
address@hidden @command{texi2any}: The Generic Translator for Texinfo
 
address@hidden is a generic translator for Texinfo that can
-produce different output formats and is highly customizable.  By
-default, the formats that may be produced are:
address@hidden is the generic translator for Texinfo that can
+produce different output formats and is highly customizable.  It
+supports these formats:
 
 @table @asis
address@hidden Info (with @option{--info}),
address@hidden Info (by default, or with @option{--info}),
 
 @item HTML (with @option{--html}),
 
@@ -16510,17 +16484,32 @@
 @end table
 
 @command{makeinfo} is an alias for @command{texi2any}.  By default,
-both @command{texi2any} and @command{makeinfo} generate Info output.
+both @command{texi2any} and @command{makeinfo} generate Info output;
+indeed, there are no differences in behavior based on the name.
 
 Beside these default formats, command line options to
address@hidden can determine important aspects of the output.
-Beyond that, initialization files provide an even finer degree of
-control over the final output, including nearly every aspect not
-specified in the Texinfo input file.  Initialization files are written
-in Perl, like the main program, and anything which may be specified on
-the command line may also be specified within a initialization file.
address@hidden can change many aspects of the output.  Beyond
+that, initialization files provide even more control over the final
+output---nearly anything not specified in the Texinfo input file.
+Initialization files are written in Perl, like the main program, and
+anything which may be specified on the command line may also be
+specified within a initialization file.
+
+We call it ``the'' translator for Texinfo instead of just ``a''
+translator, even though of course it's technically possible for other
+implementations to be written.  The reason is that alternative
+implementations are undesirable in practice; it leads to subtle (or
+not-so-subtle) differences in the language, and thus Texinfo documents
+become dependent on the processor, which is bad for everyone.  Indeed,
+it was the existence of the @command{texi2html} implementation which
+spawned the merging back into the one program we have now.
+
+We intend and hope that the present program should be rather easier
+than the previous C implementation of @command{makeinfo} to extend to
+different output styles, back-end output formats, and all other
+customizations.
 
-The rest of this chapter gives further details on the program.
+The rest of this chapter gives the rest of the details.
 
 @menu
 * Invoking texi2any::           How to run @command{texi2any} from a shell.
@@ -17716,6 +17705,11 @@
 @end vtable
 
 
address@hidden node texi2html
address@hidden section @command{texi2html}: Ancestor of @command{texi2any}
address@hidden pindex texi2html
+
+
 @node Creating and Installing Info Files
 @chapter Creating and Installing Info Files
 
@@ -21679,7 +21673,7 @@
 Revision Control System}) or other version control systems, which
 expand it into a string such as:
 @example
-$Id: texinfo.txi,v 1.422 2012/02/17 18:10:40 pertusus Exp $
+$Id: texinfo.txi,v 1.423 2012/02/20 16:41:32 karl Exp $
 @end example
 (This is useful in all sources that use version control, not just manuals.)
 You may wish to include the @samp{$Id:} comment in the @code{@@copying}