UK TeX FAQ -- question 14

### What is Eplain?

The Eplain macro package expands on and extends the definitions in Plain TeX. Eplain is not intended to provide "generic typesetting capabilities", as do LaTeX or Texinfo. Instead, it defines macro tools that should be useful whatever commands you choose to use when you prepare your manuscript.

For example, Eplain does not have a command `\section`, which would format section headings in an "appropriate" way, as LaTeX's `\section` does. The philosophy of Eplain is that some people will always need or want to go beyond the macro designer's idea of "appropriate". Such canned macros are fine - as long as you are willing to accept the resulting output. If you don't like the results, or if you are trying to match a different format, you are out of luck.

On the other hand, almost everyone would like capabilities such as cross-referencing by labels, so that you don't have to put actual page numbers in the manuscript. Karl Berry, the author of Eplain, says he is not aware of any generally available macro packages that do not force their typographic style on an author, and yet provide such capabilities.

`Eplain distribution`
  macros/eplain.tar.gz