[NTG-context] new upload / more math
Henning Hraban Ramm
texml at fiee.net
Fri Apr 1 16:06:19 CEST 2022
Oh, great work, thank you! (While I keep working with WebCMS and avoid
math...)
And I guess you forgot to mention that you discontinued the support for
non-metric measures like the obsolete inch, except Potrzebie, of course.
Hraban
Am 01.04.22 um 10:02 schrieb Hans Hagen via ntg-context:
> Hi,
>
> As most of you know by now, Mikael and I are working on a math support
> upgrade. In order to let users keep up we uploaded a new version. We
> have been revisioning some of the more obscure constructs where we have
> no clue of usage, like pmod, bmod, bordermatrix etc, commands that we
> took (and reimplemented) decades ago from plain TeX or AMS TeX,
> assuming that these are standards.
>
> In this release, encouraged by the positive response we received from
> users regarding the new simplealignment construction, and in particular
> regarding the self-explaining sesac, we have decided to introduced some
> new constructs. First out is
>
> \startformula
> \startxıɹʇɐɯ
> \NC a_1 \NC b_1 \NC c_1 \NR
> \NC a_2 \NC b_2 \NC c_2 \NR
> \NC a_3 \NC b_3 \NC c_3 \NR
> \stopxıɹʇɐɯ
> \stopformula
>
> for rotation matrices. This was demanded for some advanced math courses
> that Mikael teaches. It might inspire users to come up with demands that
> suits their own obscure but nevertheless interesting math.
>
> At some point we realized that, with (also) scientific publishers (of
> math journals) moving to MS Word and Indesign, we operate in a rather
> peculiar niche and the fact that we use an upgraded and more granular
> math engine, made us wonder how to communicate all these new features
> and standards that we set. It is for that reason that from now on we
> will operate under the CMS umbrella. That abbreviation stands for
> ConTeXt Math Society. It has no funny swirly TeX logo which itself is a
> statement: in Unicode math script and calligraphic alphabets are so
> messed up that it is impossible to have a reliable and predictable
> rendering. We go for Dutch and Swedish simplicity in the spirit of W.N.
> Lansburgh: back to the times before TeX was written (1964). There will
> be no limits and boundaries set. (Talking math limits and boundaries:
> these can already go everywhere anyway, as can fences.)
>
> So, when we mention CMS, we mean serious math business, but kindergarten
> math is also embraced! There are no consequences for users: ConTeXt
> users with a proven math track record are automatically a member, but we
> are not too picky, everyone is welcome. We don't have honorary members
> but Taco (the first ConTeXt math user) and Aditya (the most experienced
> one) might consider themselves as such. Mikael Sundqvist is the
> chairman, which is a livelong appointment. (A nice side effect is that
> with Arthur living in Sweden too, that gives us a very strong position
> in the TeX landscape there.)
>
> So, today's upload is sort of special: welcome CMS (ConTeXt Math
> Shines), goodbye AMS (American Math Second). Of course we're open for
> suggestions and it being an open society all voices will be heard, but
> only proper (retro) math cf Lansburgh will be honored. Of course we only
> listen to ConTeXt users and, as that package is not supposed to be used
> for serious math, we don't bother about the few publishers left that
> still do math.
>
> Are we done? Not yet. We're in the middle of (colorful and graphic)
> alignment ornaments and after that we're going to expand and improve
> multi-line display formulas and equation numbering.
>
> It will be no coincidence that the cover of Landburghs book about math
> typesetting has a prominent 'AWE' embedded in a logo with a lion on top:
> we hope all users are in awe about what the TeX lion can do.
>
> Mikael S & Hans H
>
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