Re: rethinking @def*

[pertusus]

On Tue, Jul 26, 2022 at 09:32:15PM +0000, Werner LEMBERG wrote:
> 
> > I can't see why having different output makes texinfo harder to use.
> > Having all output identical does not seem to me to be a goal of
> > Texinfo formatting.  To me an important element of the Texinfo
> > philosophy is that the Texinfo code describes the intent of the
> > document, not the formatting.  As long as the formatting convey this
> > intent, the details of the formatting are not relevant and
> > differences among outputs are not an issue.
> 
> I disagree.  Just imagine that warnings in TeX are shown in red, and
> recommendations are typeset in green.  In HTML, warnings are shown in
> green, and recommendations in red.  Would you consider this as 'not
> relevant'?  For me, such a difference would be unacceptable – warnings
> would have to be typeset in red.
> 
> I believe there are certain formatting expectations that must not be
> violated, else documentation is very hard to read.

I completly agree with your example, and we do try to have consistency
among output formats.  But we need to draw a line somewhere, and, for
example, the precise font used to emphasize, for example, could be
different.

Regarding the formatting of @def* lines, now that I have realized to
what extent they are different from TeX, and in particular not in
typewriter enough, there probably will be changes.

-- 
Pat