[oclug] Open Source Oppositions Get Serious

[David F. Skoll]

On Tue, 8 Oct 2002, Robert Echlin wrote:

> Can you insert PNG files into your documents?

Yes, if you convert them to EPS first.  I do this all the time.  A
simple "make" formats my document.

> How about SVG?

Yes; see above.

> Can you convert XML input files?

Yes; some SGML and XML processors produce LaTeX output.

> Can you save in XML format or even HTML?

HTML: Yes; there's a program called LaTeX2HTML.  XML: No, but why would
you want that?

> I don't think Latex handles all that. It just does what it does, very well.

No kidding!  I wish we could say that about most office suites.

> As I said, 20 versions, not 20 years will ***likely*** result in an 
> inability to read old files correctly.

So what?  If you have the source code, you compile the old version and
you're in business.  You can even keep all 20 versions, loading and
saving incrementally.  That's much more difficult with closed-source
software.

--
David.