[OS X TeX] 64-bit binaries in TeXLive 2010

[Alain Schremmer]

On Dec 3, 2009, at 5:19 PM, Ross Moore wrote:

> Hi Claus,
>
> On 04/12/2009, at 7:42 AM, Claus Gerhardt wrote:
>
>> Since the speed improvement of the 64-bit binaries is clearly  
>> noticeable, e.g., using Flashmode, let me suggest to include OS X  
>> 64-bit binaries in TL 2010 as a standard option known by install- 
>> tl as well as by texlive manager.
>>
>> To relieve the burden of compiling additional binaries from  
>> Richard Koch let me also suggest, at least tentatively, that the  
>> TeXLive support  for ppc should be frozen to TL 2009. The PowerPCs  
>> which are still in use are clearly outdated by any measure and  
>> there is no point to develop software for machines and OS that are  
>> a few generations behind, especially since TL 2009 should be more  
>> than sufficient for texing.
>>
>> This is a realistic view and those who are still using a PPC let  
>> me advice, if you ever had tried a new IntelMac you wouldn't want  
>> to switch back to your PPC.
>
> I cannot agree with this Claus.
>
> Just walk down the corridor and look at what machines your colleagues
> are using. Most mathematicians are typically very slow to update
> their computers and computing techniques. Academics in some other
> fields are doubtless even more so. Their main interests lie elsewhere,
> so why should they go to the expense and inconvenience of changing
> for no clearly necessary reason?
>
> Changing both the computing platform and the software is a very big
> thing for someone who is not used to doing it quite frequently.
> It should be possible to say, first try out MacTeX on an older  
> machine,
> then once used to that change, go ahead with purchasing a newer,
> machine --- provided, of course, budgeting allows for this.

There are the cutting edge people whom any update of TeXLive ravishes  
and who are thriving on debugging TeXLive 2009. And these are the  
people whom the "latest", whether hard or soft, indeed "forces" them  
to upgrade.

But then there are those of us who "are typically very slow to update  
their computers and computing techniques" whom, regardless of what is  
in the latest TeXLive, would seem more likely than not just to ignore  
the latest TeXLive and keep on going with what they have. These, then  
certainly do not feel "forced" by the "latest" to upgrade anything.

I must be missing something.

Regards
--schremmer