[OS X TeX] OS X TeX newbie needs help installing TeX on non-boot volume

[Rowland McDonnell]

> On 11.09.2005, at 14:59, Rowland McDonnell wrote:
[snip]

> Sorry if I got that wrong (might be language problems of a non-native  
> speaker),

I think it must be.

> but if you know it better anyway,

But I don't, haven't said I know better, haven't implied I know better,
and I am explicitly asking for help because I don't know a thing about
this sort of stuff and cannot find any written documentation to help me.

I know exactly what I want to do with TeX, but I know virtually nothing
about the software available to `do TeX stuff' under OS X.

So I come here and ask for help.  I've had good help from two messages
so far.

> I'd suggest you get the  
> necessary sources (look at www.tug.org for more info),

Why?  That would teach me nothing that I needed to know.

> modify the  
> makefiles to your needs, and build and install all the stuff you need  
> for yourself.

Hmm.  Nice idea, except that I can't do anything like that because I
don't know a thing about compiling software for Unix of any sort or Macs
in particular and, despite having tried, can't find out anything that I
need to know yet about those subjects.

I'll have to read some books, when I've managed to find some good ones.
Not got there yet and I've got more pressing jobs to do.

> Certainly all of us here will agree that there is no  
> use in listening to some ignorant beginner guy who designed and has  
> been maintaining the i-Installer/teTeX system only for a few years  
> now, voluntarily and for the benefit of a number of happy (although  
> probably far-too-far-from-expert-level-) users.

Well, he refused to answer my questions about how to solve my problems.

I never called him ignorant.

Please do not put about false ideas like that.

I *assumed* that he wasn't ignorant and could help me if he chose.  But
he chose not to - not through ignorance, of course, but something else.
I don't know why.

And I've never claimed to be an expert in this forum, have I?  I know
what I want to do with TeX and I do have expertise in that area (well,
ish - I'm the author of sectsty if you want to know just how clever I
am.  `Not very' is clearly the answer), but I'm fairly clueless about
Unix stuff and I've come here seeking help.

I think there must be a language problem - the most useful post was from
a native English speaker (albeit one using a different dialect, but we
seem to get by), so I think that some of the non-native English speakers
reading this are misunderstanding what I'm saying.  I don't know what to
do about this.

I speak English and nought else, unfortunately.  When I'm working with
English speakers, I seem to get on pretty well in support forums.  To
take one example, look at the credits for OzTeX if you happen to have a
copy.  I was very flattered to discover that Andrew Treverrow had seen
fit to include me - entirely due to answering questions on the
OzTeX-ionfo mailing list.  I did that for more years than i-installer's
been around, I think you'll find.  Not that I seek to boast, just to
point out that someone's got the wrong idea about me.

Rowland.
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