@c Copyright (C) 1992, 93, 94 Karl Berry.
@c This is part of the Eplain manual.
@c For copying conditions, see the file eplain.texi.

@node Introduction
@chapter Introduction

@cindex Eplain, purpose of

@pindex xeplain.tex
The @dfn{Eplain} macro package expands on and extends the definitions in
plain @TeX{}.  This manual describes the definitions that you, as either
an author or a macro writer, might like to use.  It doesn't discuss the
implementation; see comments in the source code (@file{xeplain.tex}) for
that.

Eplain is not intended to provide ``generic typesetting capabilities, as
do La@TeX{} (written by Leslie Lamport)
@cindex La@TeX{}
@cindex Lamport, Leslie
or Texinfo
@cindex Texinfo
(written by Richard Stallman and others). 
@cindex Stallman, Richard
@cindex rms
Instead, it provides definitions that are intended to be useful
regardless of the high-level commands that you use when you actually
prepare your manuscript.

For example, Eplain does not have a command @code{\section}, which
would format section headings in an ``appropriate'' way, such as
La@TeX{}'s @code{\section}.  The philosophy of Eplain is
that some people will always need or want to go beyond the macro
designer's idea of ``appropriate''.  Such canned macros are
fine---as long as you are willing to accept the resulting output.  If
you don't like the results, or if you are trying to match a different
format, you are out of luck.

On the other hand, almost everyone would like capabilities such as
cross-referencing by labels, so that you don't have to put actual page
numbers in the manuscript.  The author of Eplain
@cindex Berry, Karl
is not aware of any generally available macro packages that @w{(1) do}
not force their typographic style on an author, and yet @w{(2) provide}
such capabilities.

Besides such generic macros as cross-referencing, Eplain
contains another set of definitions: ones that change the conventions of
plain @TeX{}'s output.  For example, math displays in @TeX{} are, by
default, centered.  If you want your displays to come out
left-justified, you have to plow through @cite{The @TeX{}book} to find
some way to do it, and then adapt the code to your own needs.  Eplain
tries to take care of the messy details of such things, while still
leaving the detailed appearance of the output up to you.

Finally, numerous definitions turned out to be useful as Eplain was
developed.  They are also documented in this manual, on the chance that
people writing other macros will be able to use them.

You can send bug reports or suggestions to @t{tex-eplain@@cs.umb.edu}.  The
current version number of Eplain is defined as the macro
@code{\fmtversion}
@cindex version number
@findex fmtversion
at the end of the source file @file{eplain.tex}.  When corresponding,
please refer to it. 

To get on this mailing list yourself, email
@samp{tex-eplain-request@@cs.umb.edu} with a message whose body contains a
line
@example
subscribe @var{you@@your.preferred.address}
@end example
