Re: [Groff] Choosing a portability target

[walter harms]

hi list,
as author of several man pages i can say something about the "other" side.
When you read the current manuals (i admit that is some time ago) they ask
the authors to keep the file simple. Using the .TH, .BR, .I macros
means that the authors need to learn a few basic format stuff and that's it.
the only "test" you do as authors is to test with "man -l" (or groff)
to check if it looks ok on screen (ascii only!).
Stuff like tbl,eqn,... is discouraged (somebody mentioned it before) to keep
thinks simple.
the \fB stuff is mostly seen in older pages they should be replaced with .B
and friends.

And why bother with the section problem ? leave it to the maintainer. i see it
mostly as "copy to" problem.

Stupid system that restrict macro length could be cought with a macro i guess. 
simply
complain that the user needs a propper g/roff implementation.

re,
 wh