`unixtex.ftp': Obtaining TeX ============================ This is `ftp://ftp.tug.org/tex/unixtex.ftp', last updated 26 April 2000. Also available as `http://www.tug.org/unixtex.ftp'. The IP address is currently `[158.121.106.10]', and the canonical host name is currently `tug.org'. It is also in Kpathsea source distributions as `etc/unixtex.ftp' (although the network version is usually newer). Mail with comments or questions. Following are general instructions for Unix or other sites who wish to acquire the Web2c distribution, (plain) TeX, LaTeX (2e), BibTeX, Metafont, MetaPost, DVI processors for the X window system, PostScript, the PCL language in the HP LaserJet, and related programs. They are oriented towards building from the original sources, though some information on alternative packages is included in the last section. See also `http://www.tug.org/web2c', the Web2c and Kpathsea home page. Please note that the Web2c distribution is a bare-bones distribution in source form, and building a complete installation from it is a non-trivial matter. For most uses, it is a better idea to install a distribution with pre-packaged binaries for your platform. An example of such a distribution is teTeX, which is based on the Web2c sources. Please consider joining the TeX Users Group (TUG) to help support the maintenance and development of the programs you retrieve. Email or see `http://www.tug.org' for information and a membership form. For actual installation instructions after obtaining the necessary sources, see *Note Installation::. A copy is in the distribution file `kpathsea/INSTALL'. Electronic distribution ----------------------- In many places we refer to CTAN:. This is *both* a host name and a directory name. Here are some primary locations: `ftp://ctan.tug.org/tex-archive' (California, USA) `ftp://ftp.dante.de/tex-archive' (Germany) `ftp://ftp.tex.ac.uk/tex-archive' (England) CTAN has many mirrors worldwide; see the top-level file `README.mirrors' from one of the sites above, or finger , or see `http://www.tug.org/CTAN.sites'. A list current as of the time of distribution is in the top-level file `./MIRROR'. You can also access CTAN via the World Wide Web, Gopher, electronic mail, or NFS. The same `README.mirrors' file explains how. You will need to retrieve some or all of the following archives, depending on your needs (don't forget to set binary mode for file transfers): `CTAN:/systems/web2c/texmflib.tar.gz' A basic collection of fonts (TFM files only) and macro packages (including Texinfo and LaTeX 2e). It unpacks into `texmf/'; if you change the structure of this hierarchy, you will also have to change the default search paths (*note Changing search paths::.). It is required unless you already have these files, in which case you should change the default paths as necessary to find them. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/web.tar.gz' The original WEB source files, written mostly by Don Knuth. Required unless you already have this `web' version. (The WEB sources change irregularly with respect to Web2c itself.) Unpacks into `web2c-VERSION'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/web2c.tar.gz' The Web2c system. Required. Also unpacks into `web2c-VERSION'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/web2c-etex.tar.gz' Additions to the Web2c system for building e-TeX. Optional. Unpacks into `web2c-VERSION'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/etexlib.tar.gz' Additions to the texmf tree needed to build e-TeX. Optional. Unpacks into `texmf/'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/etexdoc.tar.gz' Documentation for e-TeX as an addition to the texmf tree. Optional. Unpacks into `texmf/'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/web2c-omega.tar.gz' Additions to the Web2c system for building Omega. Optional. Unpacks into `web2c-VERSION'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/omegalib.tar.gz' Additions to the texmf tree needed to build Omega. Optional. Unpacks into `texmf/'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/omegadoc.tar.gz' Documentation for Omega as an addition to the texmf tree. Optional. Unpacks into `texmf/'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/web2c-pdftex.tar.gz' Additions to the Web2c system for building pdfTeX. Optional. Unpacks into `web2c-VERSION'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/pdftexlib.tar.gz' Additions to the texmf tree needed to build pdfTeX. Optional. Unpacks into `texmf/'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/pdftexdoc.tar.gz' Unpacks into `texmf/'. Documentation for pdfTeX as an addition to the texmf tree. Optional. Unpacks into `texmf/'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/texk.tar.gz' The web and web2c sources, plus the additions for web2c, plus the dvi drivers mentioned below, plus extra dvi drivers and tools not packaged separately. Recommended if you want to build a complete system, but may contain an older version of the separate packages. Unpacks into `texk-VERSION'. `CTAN:/systems/web2c/texklib.tar.gz' The basic texmf tree, plus the additions for e-TeX, Omega, and pdfTeX. The match for texk.tar.gz, and therefore may also be older than the separate packages. Unpacks into `texmf/'. `CTAN:/dviware/dvipsk/dvipsk.tar.gz' DVI-to-PostScript translator. Unpacks into `dvipsk-VERSION'. Optional. `CTAN:/dviware/xdvik/xdvik.tar.gz' X window system DVI previewer. Unpacks into `xdvik-VERSION'. Optional. `CTAN:/dviware/dviljk/dviljk.tar.gz' DVI-to-PCL (HP LaserJet) translator. Unpacks into `dviljk-VERSION'. Optional. All that said, the originating host for the software above is `ftp.tug.org'. You can retrieve these distributions (but not much else) from the `tex/' directory on that host. CD-ROM distribution ------------------- Numerous organizations distribute various TeX CD-ROM's: * TUG, UK TUG, and GUTenberg (French-speaking TeX user group) collaborated to produce the `TeX Live' CD-ROM, based on teTeX, which in turn is based on Web2c; email or see `http://www.tug.org/tex-live.html'. * Dante (the German-speaking TeX user group) has produced a CD-ROM. See `http://www.dante.de/dante/DANTE-CTAN-CD-ROM.html', and `http://www.dante.de/tex-informationen/CD-ROMs.html' for information about TeX CD's in general. Both are in German. * The Free Software Foundation's `Source Code CD-ROM' contains the minimal TeX source distribution described in the previous section (i.e., enough to print GNU documentation); email . * The Gateway! CD-ROM set contains a runnable NetBSD/Amiga distribution and sources; see `http://www.netbsd.org/Sites/cdroms.html'. * The InfoMagic CD-ROM is a copy of CTAN (see previous section); see `http://www.infomagic.com'. * NTG (Dutch-speaking TeX user group) produced the 4allTeX CD-ROM; email , or see `http://www.ntg.nl/4allcd/'. This is a runnable system. * The Prime Time TeXcetera CD-ROM is also a copy of CTAN; email or see `http://www.ptf.com/ptf/'. * Walnut Creek's TeX CD-ROM is also a copy of CTAN; email or see `http://www.cdrom.com:/titles/tex.html'. * Most Linux distributions include some TeX package based on Web2c; see the Linux documentation file `Distribution-HOWTO' for a comparison of Linux distributions, available (for example) via `http://www.linux.org'. If you know of additional TeX CD-ROM distributions to add to this list, please inform . Other TeX packages ------------------ Many other TeX implementations are available in `CTAN:/systems', including ready-to-run distributions for Unix, Amiga, Acorn, VMS, Macintosh, DOS, and Windows (in various forms). Although Web2c has support in the source code for many operating systems, and in fact some of the other distributions are based on it, it's unlikely to work as distributed on anything but Unix. (Please contribute improvements!) The Unix distribution alluded to above is the teTeX distribution. This includes both complete sources and precompiled binaries for many popular Unix variants, including Linux. It is based on Web2c, and contains many other TeX-related programs as well. The host labrea.stanford.edu is the original source for the files for which Donald Knuth is directly responsible: `tex.web', `plain.tex', etc. However, unless you want to build your TeX library tree ab initio, it is more reliable and less work to retrieve these files as part of the above packages. In any case, labrea is not the canonical source for anything except what was created by Stanford TeX project, so do not rely on all the files available at that ftp site being up-to-date.