Re: [NTG-context] Latin setupmathematics

On 15 May 2016, at 19:59, Hans Hagen wrote:

On 5/15/2016 7:42 PM, Hans Åberg wrote:

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(where of course we default to default=italic)

Yes, but perhaps another name than “default”.

well, it is \mathdefault that is used and then gets set ... so default suits well (something latin in the name just sounds weird)

Well, you are the man.

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i have no problem adding that (basically one can even go as far as disabling every mapping assuming pure unicode input but i guess that users then would still ask for \mathfoo commands)

I think it is simplest to just align with Unicode.

i guess many math users don't agree with you as tex lingua and behaviour is kind of default ... also, it will take a while before wordprocessors provide the right visual clues

I just mean, add such extras as the request com along, if you so like. Using Unicode is tricky, to it need to evolve for some time.

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and of course we need more math fonts that have monospace (one is in the making in the gyre project)

It is available in the STIX fonts. These, and the sans-serif math styles are added in error of the idea of expressing math semantics, as pure math uses serifs, and applied sciences may use sans-serif. In computer code, in the past, like the 1980s, one did not care about monospace in books, and there is no semantic difference between styles. Keywords might for example be displayed i bold, but there is not semantic difference to when they are not.

pure math is fuzzy ... many domains and habits

Indeed, formally there are no standards, only traditions and individual preferences.

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Perhaps TeX commands might use the monospace math styles. Then the backslash “\” would not be needed. But right now, input would be cumbersome.

there will always be some kind of escape

Hopefully from TeX as well. :-)

also, the lack of an upright alphabet in unicode will always make some 'x' in the input either math of text so one also needs to indicate where math starts and ends

As far as Unicode is concerned, the ASCII and Greeks ranges are the upright ones. But those ranges will be used for math italic as long as there are no efficient input methods. Designing ones own keyboard map is a chore with so many math styles.