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%%%     abstract        = "This is a note on MFG organization",
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\documentstyle{ltugboat}

\title{Note on math font group organization}

\author{Alan Jeffrey}
\address{University of Sussex}
\netaddress{alanje@cogs.susx.ac.uk}

\def\rtitlex{MFG discussion document}
\def\midrtitle{{\sl Task 1: Organization\/}}
\setcounter{page}{1}

\begin{document}

\maketitle

This note is based on an electronic mail discussion between
Alan Jeffrey and Justin Ziegler.  Our suggested breakdown of tasks for
the math font group (MFG) is:
\begin{enumerate}

\item {\em Organization\/}: writing papers such as this one, about the
   structure and direction of the group.

\item {\em Requirements analysis\/}: looking at the needs and current
   practice of mathematical typesetting, and setting (perhaps
   unachievable!) goals.

\item {\em Technical studies\/}: individual technical analysis, with
   clear conclusions and stating the advantages and disadvantages of
   the approaches investigated.

\item {\em Standardization\/}: recording the WG's decisions,
   leading towards the proposal of new math font encodings and
   related standards.

\item {\em Implementation\/}: designing
   software to support the new encodings.

\end{enumerate}
These are only rough suggestions, all better suggestions welcomed!
We might want to break each task down into subtasks.
Organization could include:
\begin{itemize}

\item {\em Statement of purpose\/}: a one-page document setting out the
   WG's aims.

\item {\em Outlining goals\/}: general papers like this one.

\item {\em Setting timetables\/}: completion dates for these
   goals.

\end{itemize}
Requirements analysis could include:
\begin{itemize}

\item {\em Common mathematical usage\/}: what features
   are common across different subjects?

\item {\em Specific mathematical
   usage\/}: what features are specific to particular
   subjects?  (For example setting of scripts on roman letters in
   chemistry, multiletter identifiers in computer science\ldots)

\item {\em Non-mathematical usage\/}: what is math mode used for other
   than for mathematics?  (For example, setting computer programs,
   fractions, footnote markers, trademark signs\ldots)

\item {\em Compatability\/}: how compatible should a new encoding be with
   Knuth's?

\item {\em Extensions\/}: what new symbols and other features
   are users crying out for?

\item {\em Non-CM fonts\/}: what are the requirements for users of non-CM
   fonts (for example PostScript outline fonts).

\end{itemize}
Technical studies could include:
\begin{itemize}

\item {\em The current state of \TeX\/}: what are the good and bad points
   of \TeX's current mathematical typesetting?

\item {\em The limitations of \TeX\/}: what restrictions does \TeX\
   make to mathematical typesetting?  (For example, the math spacing
   table in Chapter 18 of \TB\ is hard-wired, Appendix~G of \TB\
   overloads many font dimensions\ldots)

\item {\em Prototype implementations\/}: each part of the standard should
   be $\alpha$-tested before standardization.

\item {\em Studying requirements\/}: work on problems suggested by the
   requirements analysis task.

\end{itemize}
Standardization could include:
\begin{itemize}

\item {\em Font encodings\/}: this is probably the most important
   point!

\item {\em Encoding vectors\/}: naming all the symbols as PostScript
   encoding vectors.

\item {\em Font information\/}: any new font dimensions, kerning
   information, charlists, and so on.

\item {\em (\La)\TeX\ interface\/}: how the fonts can be used in
   (\La)\TeX, for example giving default control sequence names for
   each glyph.

\end{itemize}
Implementation could include:
\begin{itemize}

\item {\em \slMF\ programs\/}: implementing of the encodings using
   character shapes based on \verb|cmmi|, \verb|cmsy| and \verb|cmex|.

\item {\em \TeX\ programs\/}: a replacement for \verb|plain.tex|, and
   document styles for using the font encodings with \LaTeX.

\item {\em VPL manipulation tools\/}: to help install Non-CM fonts, we
   may need general virtual font manipulators.

\item {\em Benchmarks\/}: equivalents of the \verb|trip.tex|
   and \verb|testfont.tex| tests for the new encodings.

\end{itemize}

\makesignature

\end{document}
