[OS X TeX] /usr/local/texprograms -> /Library/ActiveTeXPrograms

[Richard Koch]

Folks,

This is just for Gerben and others interested in the link issue; most
users should ignore it.

I see the logic here, and basically accept Gerben's proposal toward the
end of the email.

  Please make the design as simple
as possible.  Remember that the old link /Library/teTeX was for users
so they could see TeX in Finder. The more complicated the path is,
the more difficulty users will have with it.

Similarly, at least in the short fun users will have to set paths
themselves, and the shorter the path name, the better.

When users learn that there is TeX stuff in
/Library/TeX, a few of them will start rooting around in that location.
If the links are basically self explanatory, we won't have trouble, but
if the design is too "ingenious" we'll have to answer questions.
And sadly, by then Gerben's email filter might be set.

However, I like the proposal at the end of Gerben's email, except
that I don't like the name "TeXLive.texdist" or the bundle  
"association". So I
prefer (and I'm just agreeing with Gerben's design here):

	/Library/TeX/Distributions/TeXLive/Programs
	/Library/TeX/Distributions/TeXLive/MainFolder
	/Library/TeX/Distributions/TeXLive/TexmfLocal
	/Library/TeX/Distributions/TeXLive/...

and then

	/Library/TeX/Distributions/Default --> /Library/TeX/Distributions/ 
TeXLive

and finally two links satisfactory for most users:

	/Library/TeX/TeXPrograms --> /Library/TeX/Distributions/Default/ 
Programs
	/Library/TeX/MainFolder --> /Library/TeX/Distributions/Default/ 
MainFolder

Here "MainFolder" probably has a better name; this is a way to provide
the old /Library/teTeX functionality.

The advantages of this Gerben design are:

1) Easy way for front ends to provide a list of distributions
2) Easy way for switcher's to switch the default
3) Easy way for users to set their own preference to the default, and to
find the default TeX

Now please, stop designing.

Dick
koch at math.uoregon.edu


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