[tex-live] tl2rpm: TeX Live 2008 packages to rpm converter

[Robin Fairbairns]

Jindrich Novy <jnovy at redhat.com> wrote:

> teTeX was usable TeX distribution but
> a composition of styles/packages and language supports in it was a big
> mistery for me and many people didn't understand why a particular
> style or language support is in or is missing.

most commonly because thomas either hadn't noticed the package when it
appeared, or hadn't appreciated its value.  however, he was receptive to
suggestions that things be added -- for example he hadn't originally
thought of including the (then new) memoir class, but accepted my
suggestion that he did.

remember that tetex predated tex live (sebastian's original proposal was
that tex live would be an implementation of tetex; the project grew, it
seemed to me).

> Thomas definitely had a
> system in it while putting teTeX together but since TeX Live has now
> usability-focused and very well designed packaging system I hope the
> problems are more or less history thanks to you.

um.  yes.

> I hope most of the TeX users will figure out how to install a missing
> part even though scheme-basic would be the default. They can use yum
> to search what is missing and I will make the Fedora users aware of
> that in an announcement after 2008 is packaged and released.

i wonder how many users will actually be in a situation to use on-line
updates.  most at my lab won't...

robin