Re: tex output differs between 1.0.7 and 3.0

On 28 May 2006 14:23:51 +0200, Urs Thuermann <[email protected]> wrote:
> This is not much of problem but I am curious why I see the following:
>
> When I process some latex source files on a machine which has still
> teTeX-1.0.7 installed and another machine with teTe-X-3.0 I see
> differences in the output dvi file.  Some of my latex source files
> produce exactly the same output dvi file (when run in the same minute,
> so that even the time stamp is the same), some files produce different
> output dvi files (when viewing with dvitype) but which look the same
> in xdvi, and some source files are indeed typeset differently.

I'm surprised any files are the same. although I don't often use .dvi
these days, and Murphy ensures that a randomly selected pdftex install
on this side of the pond is set for A4 paper, while the rest of the
world gets US letter.

> When looking at the log file, I see the following changes between
> 1.0.7 and 3.0:
>
> * pdfeTeX is used instead of TeX
> * pdfeTeX from 3.0 is version 3.141592 while TeX from 1.0.7 is version
>   3.14159
> * newer LaTeX version from 2003-12-01 instead of 1999-12-01.
> * newer version of some other macro packages, e.g. inputenc.sty,
>   latin1.def, etc.
>
> The CM fonts seem to be the same.  I wonder wether the changes in
> output are caused by the different TeX engine or by the new version of
> LaTeX macros.

Are the .tfm files really the same?   Over the years there have been
(minor) changes.

It isn't reasonable to expect the same output unless you have the same
versions on all machines, and even then it is all too easy for subtle
changes to creep in.  I think the LaTeX news documents do mention
changes that affect layout, but 3rd party macros may not be as
helpful.

> I have always found it a nice feature in TeX to get the same output on
> all machines and usually with all versions of TeX, LaTeX, etc.  For
> example I have put some effort into the final versions of my thesises
> to tweak line and page breaks, to avoid clubs and widows and so on,
> and now find that when I reproduce from the sources with newer TeX
> installations the output is different.

I tell users to avoid manual tweaks until the very last moment, as
small edits often result in changes to page breaks, etc.  The biggest
headaches come when someone has laboriously used hard-coded page
number references (not unusual for books done with author macros in
plain tex).

-- 
George N. White III <[email protected]>
Head of St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia