additional texmf tree for all users (was Re: [OS X TeX] Beginner help with TeXshop/MacTex needed)

[Victor Ivrii]

On 8/28/06, William Adams <will.adams at frycomm.com> wrote:
> On Aug 28, 2006, at 7:37 AM, Peter Dyballa wrote:
> (re: my thought of adding a texmf tree at /Users/Shared/texmf or
> linking one's personal tree at ~/Library/texmf to it)
>
> > Both would make it necessary that all participants have write
> > access and that best only the installing one has easy delete
> > permission. I.e. you need to create a new group and add these
> > participants to it and you need to give the directories quite
> > unusual permissions (directories 3775, file 664).
> >
> > Which could be achieved in texmf.local, too.
>
> Is there a specific reason why a typical user would need write
> access? (Presumably to further customize? I'm envisioning a working
> environment where a small group of people is responsible for
> maintaining the localtexmf while a number of users make use of it, so
> no need for the typical user to be able to add, change or delete stuff.)
>

Sure, there is a reason: the more the merrier. If (say) 7 users can
change things for everyone then the life would be anything but dull
(even less productive). There is a Russian proverb which could be
translated as "With 7 babysitters an infant loses an eye"

:-)

-- 
========================
Victor Ivrii, Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto
http://www.math.toronto.edu/ivrii
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