[texhax] needed info

[William Adams]

On Sep 18, 2013, at 6:23 PM, Aaron Corbet wrote:

>     1) I am not an IT specialist. I am a physicist who is poor enough that I have to do all my own software composition. So, when you talk to me, you have to speak slowly and enunciate clearly. I have no CS background at all. I steer by the seat of my pants.

There has been a great deal of effort put into making things accessible to a new user, and there's a lot of documentation which addresses pretty much all of the typical difficulties. If not, then there are various mailing lists to provide support.

<snip>

>    3) For that, and other asocial reasons, any kind of "shareware" is categorically out. I need to buy a stand-alone self-contained package from you. Which I guess you will have to mail to me by USPS. Or perhaps armed guard. I don't care which.

A typical membership includes a DVD which includes all the software --- it includes some shareware and commercial demos, but those are _optional_ items which you may ignore.

There is a big emphasis on opensource software at TUG --- in particular, I believe that you'll find:

http://www.tug.org/texworks/

very comfortable --- at least some of the development is funded by TUG, so by joining you would be supporting its development (unless the funding situation has changed --- haven't read my last couple of financial statements).

>    4) I am really looking forward to finally obtaining this; for this reason I am willing to pay you, from my bankcard, any reasonable amount. You know, that means under millions of dollars or something.

While we welcome your joining, you could just download a TeX distribution which is suited to your system and needs.

>    5) So what do I do next?

If you wish, join up at:

http://www.tug.org/join.html

In particular, there are electronic versions of paper forms:

http://www.tug.org/forms/2013/memberapp-letter.pdf

which you can print, add payment to and then send in via physical mail. I'd suggest checking the option for and purchasing last year's TeX Collection DVD for an additional $10 so as to ensure you get a DVD immediately.

William

-- 
William Adams
senior graphic designer
Fry Communications
Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.