[Python-Dev] The docs, reloaded (original) (raw)

Georg Brandl g.brandl at gmx.net
Mon May 21 21:36:44 CEST 2007

skip at pobox.com schrieb:

Brett> Martin beat me to my comment. =) Python's needs should come Brett> first, period. If Georg wants to add math support, fine. But Brett> honestly I would rather he spend his time on Python-specific Brett> stuff then get bogged down to support possible third parties.

I think the people who have responded to my comment read too much into it. Nowhere do I think I asked Georg to write an equation typesetter to include in the Python documentation toolchain. I asked that math capability be considered.

And that is reasonable, of course.

I have no idea what tools he used to build his new documentation set. I only briefly glanced at a couple of the output pages. I think what he has done is marvelous. However, I don't think the door should be shut on equation display. Is there a route to it based on the tools Georg is using?

In the end, it all depends on what kind of support basic reST can deliver. IMO, you still get the best math output from LaTeX, but I don't really know many other things.

That is also something I want to convey: I'm very fond of LaTeX, and use it regularly for all my University work. For the Python docs, however, I can see many advantages of the docutils approach.

If not, then I think some accommodation should be made. I'm being vague here on purpose because I'm unfamiliar with the available tools. The one thing I do know is that LaTeX provides that today and by removing it from the toolchain you have removed a significant piece of functionality.

That's the point I see differently: for the Python core docs, it's not significant, and my efforts are primarily limited to that area.

cheers, Georg

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