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Re: Separate encoding for \log etc

Jeremy quotes Justin:
 
>> \note {this font is not for typesetting words. That must be done in
>> text mode.}
>
>I think I missed something here. Why do we want a separate encoding from
>the text encodings for things like \log etc? They *are* words! 
 
Hmmm... perhaps a better way of saying this would be:
 
   Math mode should not be used for setting text phrases in
   mathematical material.  For example:
   \begin{verbatim}
      $$x=y \quad {\rm is\ a\ direct\ consequence\ of} \quad y=x$$
   \end{verbatim}
   would be better input as:
   \begin{verbatim}
      $$x=y \quad\hbox{\rm is a direct consequence of}\quad y=x$$
   \end{verbatim}
   or, better still:
   \begin{verbatim}
      $$x=y \quad\text{is a direct consequence of}\quad y=x$$
   \end{verbatim}
   where \verb|\text| is a macro which sets its argument in horizontal 
   mode.  This avoids unpleasant surprises such as:
   \begin{verbatim}
      $$X \quad{\rm is\ a\ sub-object\ of}\quad Y$$
   \end{verbatim}
   However, for upward compatibility with existing \plain\ \TeX\ 
   documents, it will still be possible to set text phrases in math mode, 
   as long as they only contain $\langle\mbox{character}\rangle$s of type 
   Variable.
 
Phew, what a lot of work from one side-comment!
 
>Imho (though
>this is not the topic of MFD) \log etc should be set in a text
>font---family zero if the designer so decides, or perhaps some other
>family, but a text family nonetheless.
 
The base font (the one used for \log etc) will be a text font, and will 
be usable in horizontal mode for setting text matter.
 
Alan.