perm filename POX[3,2]11 blob
sn#417084 filedate 1979-02-10 generic text, type T, neo UTF8
POX is one of the myriad XGP formatting programs. Its major
advantages are vectors and macros together with precise placement of
everything under user (programmer) control. Alternatives are PUB
which can produce output for other devices (LPT, TTY and some exotic
ones) as well as produce footnotes and indexes, and TEX which has the
prettiest layout of text and most of what is needed for technical
papers but alas lacks vectors and macros.
The command "XSP POX.XGP[UP,DOC]/NOT" will produce hardcopy
of the writeup (appx. 30 pages). Occasional users can often borrow
one of the listings of the manual rather than make a new one.
(Sometimes there is a spare in the lounge or the publications room.)
A very old POX writeup in TTY/LPT format is the only other
online documentation available to remote users. To see it on your
terminal, use "TYPE POX.REM[UP,DOC]".
Sometimes there are recent bugfixes, reported in
POX.LOG[1,REM], but since POX is now pretty stable these probably
aren't urgent to read.
The standard POX compiler is POX.DMP[1,3], but often there is a newer
experimental version and/or one or more older backup versions. The
experimental version is NPOX.DMP[1,3] and the backups are given names
POX.*[1,3] where the * is the month and date the version was created,
for example POX.414 on April 14 and POX.C06 on December 06.