[Groff] Device-independence of intermediate output

[Bernd Warken]

The "Troff User's Manual" [CSTR #54, ch. 22] reads:

  Troff produces its output in a language that is independent of any
  specific output device, except that the numbers in it have been
  computed on the basis of the resolution of the device, and the
  sizes, fonts, and characters that that cevice can print.
  Nevertheless it is quite possible to interpret that output on a
  different device, within the latter's capabilities.

The groff intermediate output language does not support this feature -
although it is a base feature of device independent troff, on which
groff was originally built.

Fortunately, it seems to be easy to implement this feature by
providing a scaling factor to the arguments of some arguments.

This feature is quite powerful; it will be possible to run code
written for the ancient troff devices on any modern groff device.

Is there agreement on the necessity of this feature?

Bernd Warken