[OS X TeX] Lost in Mac space

[Joseph C. Slater PE, PhD]

On Dec 13, 2008, at 2:17 PM, Claus Gerhardt wrote:

> There is no need for delving into unix unless you want to be become  
> a system administrator or do scripting.
>
> I know a bit of unix but I (almost) use it only for scripting. There  
> are a few basic unix commands like cd, cp, rm, mv, or ftp. However,  
> I rarely use them nowadays in the terminal, in fact I rarely use the  
> terminal at all. If you really want to know the meaning of these  
> commands and how to use them, execute the command in terminal
>
> man cd
>
> for instance, or even better, that's the way I do it, press in Local  
> Switcher "open man" and enter in the ensuing dialogue "man cd".
>
> The problems that arise for novices or illiterates are usually  
> related to installing TeX or a latex package. Here are my  
> recommendations:
>
> (1) Use MacTeX for installing TeX, but only the full TeXLive  
> version, if you feel insecure.
>
> (2) Download the current TeXLive iso image or insert the  
> corresponding DVD and install TeXLive with the help of Local  
> Switcher, if you are not afraid of reading two pages of instructions  
> and pressing two buttons instead of one.
>
> (3) Don't bother updating your installation with the help of tlmgr,  
> wait for the next TeXLive edition. If you need a package that is not  
> already installed, google for it and install it manually in your  
> local texmf folder in the correct place. The local tex tree has been  
> described on this list at least a dozen times.
>
> (4) If you have a problem which you cannot solve, then first google  
> for it. If this doesn't help, ask this list.
>
> (5) Use TimeMachine for regular backups.

I agree. (there was a slight bug in tex4ht that forced me to update  
it, though).

Joe