``` > Maybe BibTeX-like syntax will work, i.e. something like \author{Albert
> Einstein} and \author{Einstein, Albert} would produce same output
> determined *only* by house class?  Then house classes could process
> \author declarations and extract, if required, both Albert Einstein in
> title page and A.~Einstein in the running head?
>
> Actually BibTeX has a very subtle algorithm of dealing with author names;
> I think it is possible to reimplement it in TeX for journal styles.

While I (sort of) admire BibTeX's system for second-guessing surnames,
I have always found it confusing as an author, and as a processor of
other peoples .bib files. I think a clean separation into surname and
other bits is better. That does not mean you cannot give a simple case
like

\author{name=Sebastian Rahtz}

and have it parsed easily by TeX as if you had typed

\author{surname=Rahtz, forenames=Sebastian Patrick Quintus} [1]

but it goes further than that, doesn't it. some styles will need to
suppress that to S.P.Q., others want the full name. you cannot always
work out that initial compression easily, by the way - people called
Christian sometimes like to be be abbreviated Chr.

and where do i put my qualifications?

\author{surname=Rahtz, forenames=Sebastian Patrick Quintus,title=Mr,
qualification="AJFL"} [2]

can that be done as ?

\author{name={Mr Sebastian Rahtz, AJFL}}

not easily, because you have to implement *masses* of bibtex functionality!
One approach would be to use BibTeX itself to do the parsing, if you
want something complicated - the production style could write the key
values out to a .bib file and call up BibTeX with a special
style. well, thats up to the implementor of the production class.

my (unhappy) proposal would be  that we allow a full form, and a short
form. the `correct' form is to put:

\author{surname=Rahtz, forenames=Sebastian Patrick Quintus,title=Mr,
qualification="AJFL", initials=S.P.Q.} [2]

(incidentally, the Elsevier SGML DTD allows even more than this);
but in a simple case

\author{name=Sebastian Rahtz, AJFL}

will also work. then the production class has to do some hard work.

Sebastian

[1] just for those of you who ask me occasionally
[2] a prize if you can guess the meaning
```