[OS X TeX] xdvi and/or acrobat reader with darwin ports emacs

[Chris Skeels]

On Jan 23, 2005, at 10:26 AM, Curtis Clifton wrote:

[snip]

>
> Saith the man with a vested interest in the airplane business.
>
> But with all due respect, my understanding is that the difference  
> between TeXniscope and MacDviX for previewing DVI files is more  
> analogous to that between two versions of the same model car.  One  
> with a 4-cylinder engine and one with a 8-cylinder engine.  They look  
> about the same.  They take the same inputs: gas, oil, accelerator  
> pedal, steering wheel.  They produce the same outputs: wheels roll,  
> car turns.  One just does it a lot faster.  A driver has to take them  
> for a test drive and consider his or her needs before choosing.  But I  
> don't understand why what is under the hood makes any difference  
> whatsoever, beyond your commercial interest, other than speed.

With all due respect, your understanding not withstanding, such a snide  
response is completely out of order and sullies this list!

> So that is my question:  For DVI previewing, aside from speed, what  
> are the differences in _user visible features_ between MacDviX and  
> TeXniscope?

The simple fact of the matter is that pdftex will not always handle  
things that can be dealt with via a dvips type route and so all of  
those issues carry over immediately.  Also, to dismiss the speed issue  
is extremely disingenuous.  I am a very big fan of TeXniscope but I  
have also seen moderately sized documents (35 pages), with a few graphs  
in them, clog it up to the point of being unusable relative to a "true  
dvi previewer".

> It's a legitimate question and simple saying the TeXniscope is not a  
> "true dvi previewer" is not an answer.

In a sense it is, although maybe not for someone whose life is built  
around pdftex.  Not everybody's is and the differences can be quite  
marked.

> On the other hand, TeXniscope is also free and is a pdf viewer to boot.

And a damn fine one, but it is not currently the final word on the  
subject (nor does it pretend to be).

>
> Cheers,
>
> Curt
>
> ----------------------------------
> Curtis Clifton, PhD Candidate
> Dept. of Computer Science, Iowa State University
> http://www.cs.iastate.edu/~cclifton
>
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>
>

Cheers, Chris.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
--------------------------
Dr CL Skeels                                      Email:  
Chris.Skeels at unimelb.edu.au
Department of Economics                Tel:      +61-3-8344 3783
The University of Melbourne            Fax:     +61-3-8344 6899
VIC 3010
Australia

--------------------- Info ---------------------
Mac-TeX Website: http://www.esm.psu.edu/mac-tex/
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