Re: [HELP] Fwd: Org format as a new standard source format for GNU manuals

["Thomas S. Dye" <tsd@tsdye.online>]

Good news.  Thanks Ihor.  And thanks to Nicolas for his work on 
ox.

Ihor Radchenko <yantar92@gmail.com> writes:

> Dear List,
>
> I am forwarding an official email from RMS changing subject line 
> to more
> descriptive. See below.
>
> For some context, in order to support specialized syntax for 
> manuals, we
> may first need to implement the discussed special blocks export 
> and
> inline special blocks:
> 1. https://list.orgmode.org/orgmode/87y1yr9gbl.fsf@gmail.com/
> 2. https://list.orgmode.org/orgmode/87edzqv4ha.fsf@localhost/
>
> The above links aim to introduce export functionality that we 
> now have
> for links to special blocks and new custom markup elements. I am
> referring to
> 1. Ability to create new custom element types programmatically 
> 2. Ability to define how to :export the custom element types
>
> Similar to `org-link-set-parameters'.
>
> Patches and more concrete ideas are welcome!
>
> From: Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
> Subject: Re: Org mode and Emacs
> To: Tim Cross <theophilusx@gmail.com>
> Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
> Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2022 08:10:03 -0400 (3 days, 17 hours, 36 
> minutes ago)
> Flags: seen, list
> Maildir: /TSD-ONLINE/INBOX
> List: emacs-orgmode.gnu.org
>
> [[[ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider 
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>
> Speaking as the Chief GNUisance, rssponsible for GNU Project
> standards, I would be happy to adopt an upgraded Org format as a 
> new
> standard source format for GNU manuals, _provided_ Org format 
> has been
> extended with the capability to express all the constructions 
> and
> distinctions that Texinfo can express, generate all the output 
> formats
> Texinfo can generate, and use TeX to make beautiful printed 
> output.
>
> Texinfo can generate these output formats: Info files, HTML, 
> ASCII
> text, and DVI and PDF files via TeX.
>
> Texinfo provides numerous subtle distinctions that show up 
> clearly in
> each of these output formats.  Compare, for example, @var, @dfn 
> and
> @emph; compare @code, @samp, @file, @command, @option, @kbd, and 
> @key.
>
> I am sure people can extend Org software to handle these 
> semantic
> distinctions and generate these output formats.  Since it has 
> been
> done once, it can be done again.  But the work is not trivial.
>
> The work has to start by designing what the extended Org format 
> will look
> like.  That part is the crucial part; once it has been 
> specified,
> people can work independently to implement various parts of 
> handling
> that format.
>
> -- 
> Dr Richard Stallman (https://stallman.org)
> Chief GNUisance of the GNU Project (https://gnu.org)
> Founder, Free Software Foundation (https://fsf.org)
> Internet Hall-of-Famer (https://internethalloffame.org)
>
>
>
> ----------
All the best,
Tom

-- 
Thomas S. Dye
https://tsdye.online/tsdye