[tex-live] Re: incremental pdf (was: Please enable ipc in tex)

[Jonathan Fine]

This might be a little off-topic.

Pdftex is a widely used program, which clearly meets the
need to generate pdf files from tex sources.

However, I never understood why pdftex was written, rather
than a dvi to pdf translator.

This may be a failing on my part, I simply don't remember
seeing the reasons for this choice.

The current wish for incremental pdf raises this question
again, in my opinion.


Could anyone inform me, as to why pdftex rather than a
dvi to pdf translator.

Thank you.


Jonathan