Re: Using texinfo for works that are not software-related

[Christopher Dimech]

Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 6:54 PM
From: "Oleander" <7059548@protonmail.com>
To: dimech@gmx.com
Cc: help-texinfo@gnu.org
Subject: Re: Using texinfo for works that are not software-related

> As far as I know latex3 does not support exporting to html, epub,
> ascii and I need those formats. I should have explained it better but
> I don't need all the formatting options latex offers since I mostly
> write prose with some code/quote blocks.

> By "good things" I meant semantic elements, indexes, cross references.

> I've explored other markup languages but I've always been on the fence
> about those and I keep switching.

> Markdown does not support indexes so I tend to exclude it for long
> documentation.

> Org Mode is great but it lacks semantic elements besides blocks.

> Asciidoc: good markup syntax and support semantic elements but I read
> the tooling leaves something to be desired.

> Restructured text: great tooling but I don't like the syntax of some
> elements.

> As regards at least sys admin documentation which is not only
> software-related (bureaucratic stuff) and general prose, would
> you still recommend texinfo?

After your elaborations, texinfo will get you there.

-------- Original Message --------
On Aug 30, 2023, 04:52, Christopher Dimech < dimech@gmx.com> wrote:
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 9:01 AM From: "Oleander" 
<7059548@protonmail.com> To: help-texinfo@gnu.org Subject: Re: Using texinfo 
for works that are not software-related Correction: sys admin documentation is 
related to software obviously. -------- Original Message -------- On Aug 29, 
2023, 22:22, Oleander < 7059548@protonmail.com> wrote: Hello everyone! > Does 
texinfo suit other works that are not software-related like sys > admin 
documentation, lectures, long essays, fictional/non fictional > books? From 
what I've read in the manual so far, it is possible to > produce some of them 
but would you recommend it? Chapter 1 states: >> Texinfo was devised 
specifically for the purpose of writing software >> documentation and manuals. 
If you want to write a good manual for >> your program, Texinfo has many 
features which we hope will make your >> job easier. However, Texinfo is not 
intended to be a general-purpose >> formatting program. > If not, what markup 
do you prefer for works that are not > software-related, without missing most 
of the good things texinfo > provides? In its current state, I would not 
recommend it. Use latex3 from the Latex Project 
(https://www.latex-project.org/) One can use colour, images can be made 
floating, and everything works much better. Texinfo is still mostly based on 
tho old tex substrate, and does not work very well for non software 
documentation related things.