Subject: NTeX 2.3.1

Hi folks!

This is to announce NTeX 2.3.1 which is available at

  http://web.mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de/ntex/

or directly by ftp at

  ftp://web.mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de/pub/ntex/ntex

since the 14th of February '97. It should soon be available on
sunsite.unc.edu and its mirrors in /pub/Linux/apps/tex/ntex and on
CTAN - ftp.dante.de (Germany), ftp.tex.ac.uk (England) - in
/tex-archive/systems/unix/linux/ntex. Also have a look at the script
NTeX-ftp in the NTeX distribution root directory to simplify getting
or updating NTeX.

Changes between 2.3.0 and 2.3.1:

	* 6th release of LaTeX2e
	* Babel 3.6
	* AMSLaTeX 1.2 1996/12/19
	* graphics package 1996/12/01
	* tools package of December '96
	* The new package nb-ec provides the first official release of the
	  EC fonts. The DC fonts provided by nb-dc are now obsolete.
	* XYPic 3.3
	* updates of various LaTeX2e packages
	* some bug fixes

Changes between 2.3.0 and 2.2.2:

	* AMS LaTeX 1.2, 1996/10/29
	* psfrag 3.0
	* auctex 9.6m
	* dvips 5.62.1N
	* manual feed option for dvilj
	* metapost 0.631
	* bibtool 2.38
	* install-info can read gziped files
	* MusicTeX 5.18
	* mfpic 0.2.10.1
	* cmbright fonts 1.0, fd 6.0, package 6.2
	* binary packages for alpha-dec-osf3.2
	* configure sources using autoconf 2.12
	* lots of bug fixes in configuration and installation scripts
	* various updates of TeX/LaTeX macros

See the file CHANGES for more details.

For detailed installation and maintenance instructions read the NTeX
guide. It is available in ASCII or Postscript format from the NTeX
distribution root directory.

To install NTeX 2.3.1 get at least InstallNTeX and ntex.pkg from the
NTeX distributoin root directory, the base subdirectory (base set) and
one nb-bin-* package for your platform form the systems directory. All
the other sets / packages are optional.

If you are upgrading from NTeX 2.X, get InstallNTeX and ntex.pkg from
the TeX root directory and the packages or package sets you formerly
installed or want to add to your installtion and select the NTeX
installation package when upgrading or run the new InstallNTeX from
the directory containing ntex.pkg and it will automatically upgrade
your installation to 2.3.1. Read the file INSTALL and ntex-guide* for
more details. Please note that you can't install pre 2.2.0 packages
with the installation scripts of 2.3.1 and vice versa.

NTeX is a very complete TeX distribution for Linux and other UNIX
systems.  The distribution is grouped in package sets. For the basic
installation you only need the files InstallNTeX, ntex.pkg and the
base subdirectory. For further details about the packages read the
file `INDEX' in the main directory. The installation information and
some hints are in `INSTALL' and ntex-guide.*. And of course you should
have a look at `README.NTeX'.

NTeX currently suports binary packages for i486-linux, mips-sgi-irix5.3,
hppa1.1-hp-hpux9.03-X11R6, hppa1.1-hp-hpux9.03-X11R6, mips-dec-ultrix4.4,
rs6000-ibm-aix3.2.5, powerpc-ibm-aix3.2.5, m68k-hp-hpux8.00,
alpha-dec-osf3.2and should compile on other UNIX systems as well.

There is also a WWW page for NTeX providing information on patches,
updates, fixes, etc:

  http://www.mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de:/mathB/lst3/langbein/ntex.html

There are still a few bugs left, read the file BUGS for details. Currently
I don't have the time to fix them...

TeX is a software system that was originally written by Donald Knuth
to typeset texts. LaTeX is a set of macros for TeX written to simplify
typesetting with TeX. There are a lot of other macros and style files,
etc. which were designed for the same purpose. The NTeX distribution
also include Metafont, a program which allows the user to design
fonts. I tried to include a lot of macros and fonts into the NTeX
distribution which could be installed for your needs. Also the basic
configuration of TeX, etc. can be done with shell scripts and/or
during installation time. The purpose of NTeX is to provide a
distribution for TeX and the fronts, macros which could be easily
installed and configured.

NTeX consists of 6 package sets: 

Base:      TeX, MetaFont, gsftopk, XDvi, DviPS, DviLJ, BiBTeX, AUCTeX,
           MakeIndex, GloTeX, IdXTeX, a few additional tools, the formats
           Plain, LaTeX2e, AMSTeX, AMSLaTeX, the CM and DC fonts, PostScript
           fonts

Extras:    MetaPost, TeX--XeT, XLaTeX, XTem, XTeXShell, XFig, Transfig,
           TeXInfo, TiB, BibBview, BibTool, the formats ETeX, PLFTeX,
           LaTeX2.09, MTeX, MusicTeX and Xy-Pic and some extra macro packages

Languages: German, Greek, Hebrew, Icelandic, Polish, Russian, Swedish,
           Turkish, Arabic, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean (NOT the
           complete HLaTeX!), African (FC Fonts), Tamil, Telugu, Syriac, 
           Georgian, Osmanian, Bashkirian, Eiad, Shavian, Hieroglyphs, 
           Cherokee, Cypriote, Ogham, Runes, Futhorc, Klingon, Tengwar 
           and Ugaritic

Japanese:  JTeX, JLaTeX2e, Wadalab fonts

Fonts:     BBM, BBold, Blackletter, Brushscr, Calligra, CMB, CM Bright,
           CM Fraktur, CM Old English, CM Typewriter, Cun, DoubleStroke,
           Halftone, HGE, Logos, various mathematical symbol fonts, CM
           Outlined, OCR, Pandora, CM Pica, Punk, APL, Barcodes, BBDing,
           Capital Baseball, Dancer, Dingbat, Duerer, Elvish, Futhark,
           GIS, Go, Goblin, Gothic, Hands, Karta, Knot, LA, LAMS, magical
           and astrological symbols, Malvern, Phonetic, Ransom, Recycle,
           Script, Sueterlin, TWCal, VA, Visible Speech and WNRI

Sources:   All the sources for the binaries and for the LaTeX2e packages

Systems:   Binary archives for various UNIX platforms. You have to get
           at least one of them or compile the sources yourself.

A detailed listing of the packages and their contents is in the `INDEX'
file.

For error reports, suggestions and comments contact me. I will try to
fix all the bugs. For details on bug reports, help requests and the
NTeX mailing list read the file `INSTALL' and `README.NTeX'.

Frank Langbein