Questions and suggestions about TDS

[Ozan Vktem]

Dear TDS-team,

 First, I would like to thank you all for doing a great job. There is
really a need for a standard for TeX-files.

I have a small question about the TDS as described in the TWG-TDS 0.98.
The structure propsed in TDS does not keep all the various files for a
macro package at the same place. Thus, the files for a specifik
mackropackage are scattered in the TeX distribution and this problem is
addressed in TWG-TDS 0.98 (page 18). However, the problem of not having the
files of a macro package collected in one place is not so serious if there
is a reasonabel way to locate the different files. As an example, the
LAmS-TeX-package consists of typefaces and TeX-input files. Thus, according
to TDS  the metafont files in that package would en up in
"texmf/metafont/lamstex", the 600dpi-pk-files in
"texmf/fonts/pk/ljfour/public/lamstex/600",
the tfm-files in "texmf/fonts/tfm/lamstex" and the TeX-input files in
"texmf/lamstex/base". Finally, the sourcefiles for LAmS-TeX would en up in
"texmf/source". In this case the problem that the files in the
LAmS-TeX-package are scattered is not that big, since one can locate all
files belonging to LAmS-TeX easily.

Now to my question. Macro packages that contain bst-files would cause
problems. In TWG-TDS 0.98, there is no further subdivision of the
"texmf/bst" and "texmf/bib" directories. Why? Is it not reasonabel that the
"texmf/bst"-directory is subdivided as "texmf/bibtex/bst/package", or
something similar? This is the way you have treated all other directories
containing files needed for the TeX-installation, such as "texmf/metafont",
"texmf/tex" and "texmf/fonts".

Finally, the TDS is a structure designed the an working installation of
TeX. Thus it is not suitable for archiving purposes. The CTAN-structure
however, is quit good for archiving purposes, since all files related to a
macro pckage are collected in one place. Would it be a good idea to use the
CTAN-structure for the "texmf/source"-directory?

Yours sincerely,

Ozan


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Ozan Öktem                    Phone:  ++46-8 16 49 15
Department of Mathematics     Fax:    ++46-8 612 67 17
Stockholm University          e-mail: ozan@matematik.su.se
S-106 91 Stockholm            url:    http://www.matematik.su.se/user?ozan
Sweden
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