[OS X TeX] Finally we are grown up

[Claus Gerhardt]

I guess you are referring to the new or inexperienced user who needs  
hand holding. For these MacTeX will certainly offer a "click that  
button" wise installation of TeXLive, but,  the more experienced  
users can easily configure this installation to their needs: having  
an old and the new installation, or even several installations,  
choosing themselves which should be the default installation and  
remove older installation they are sure they don't want anymore in a  
simple and transparent manner.

Especially, they can install tex themselves, if they want, by simply  
downloading the compressed TeXLive dmg. The i-installer only offered  
your choice, you acted as a filter, and I, e.g., had the impression  
that using the unix version of tex on a Macintosh depended mainly on  
your work, and that we would be lost without you.

Of course, after your announcement that you will quit, I had a look  
at the TeXLive home page and discovered that the installation process  
TeXlive offered was simple and transparent, and when finally, a few  
days later, I actually installed the original full unix TeXLive  
version myself, I was surprised by the ease and smoothness of this  
installation process without any patronizing by the software, a  
quick, efficient, and transparent process that will allow me in the  
future to control the tex versions that I use; installing a new  
version will no longer cause an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach,  
if the new version will work as smoothly for me as the old one; if  
there will be problems a simple Applescript will make the old version  
the default.

I don't know enough about the development of tex on mac to allow  
myself a judgement on your role in this process, but given my recent  
experience with TeXLive, I can now understand why Thomas Esser  
decided to stop working on tetex, since it was no longer needed. As I  
learnt, tetex influenced the development of TeXLive, and made its  
present structure possible, i.e., Thomas Esser deserves a lot of  
credit, but at least since 2005 (and maybe even since 2002),  
additional tex installations besides TeXLive are unnecessary and  
offer no improvements, on the contrary.

Claus


On Nov 16, 2006, at 19:23, Gerben Wierda wrote:

> On Nov 16, 2006, at 18:54, Claus Gerhardt wrote:
>
>> The development of tex on mac (I don't mean this list) can be  
>> described in three stages: with Textures we were young children,  
>> Mom and Dad were watching every step, and we were told not to play  
>> too far away from the house.
>>
>> Then came i-installer and we were teenagers, Mom and Dad still  
>> provided food and lodging, though we were allowed to come home  
>> late at night, and when we wanted a new computer, we asked for it.
>>
>> Now, with TeXlive, we are finally grown up, we are caring for  
>> ourselves, move where ever we want to and buy our own homes.
>>
>> I am glad we managed to arrive at this stage.
>
> You might be underestimating the size and the variety of the  
> family. Though what might happen is that there is going to be room  
> for a commercially supported TeX.
>
> G
>
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