[tex-live] Proposal for collection reorganization

[Hans Hagen]

Robin Fairbairns wrote:
>   > Oh, I see. There would be a package matching cont-mpd.zip's contents,
>   > and a package matching cont-tmf.zip _minus_ cont-mpd.zip.
>      
>   hm, i'd keep the files in cont-tmf as well, since what would happen if 
>   someone has an old mpd and then installs a newer tmf
>
> we see here the conflict between maintenance of context, as a separate
> object, and the maintenance of tex systems as a whole, which task
> involves some context code that is of use to systems other than
> context.
>
> from my point of view, maintaining a the contents of cont-mpd
> separately seems eminently reasonable; from yours, it seems to me that
> cont-mpd is no better than a slight distraction that you generate pro
> bono.
>
> this is all very tedious, and comes from the undisputed fact that
> there are people who really don't want latex, or really don't want
> context.
>
> perhaps there ought to be two completely separate distributions of
> cont-mpd, like ghostscript/afpl and ghostscript/gnu -- one of those
> distributions is nominally separately maintained by a non-context
> person, who "blesses" any changes you make into the non-context
> distribution.
>   
i have no problem with providing 

supp-pdf-ripoff.tex 
supp-mis-ripoff.tex 

which tne can be put someplace else in the tree (i.e. someone whould then adapt latex to load that file); the independent mptopdf format is something else; if someone wants that, installing the context tex files is a small price to pay (mptopdf provides more features and may even demand more context support files once metapost gets extended). 

(these files then will be distributed as part of mptopdf alongside other files and it's up to maintainers to move them to the right spot) 

(i can then start optimizing supp-pdf for context [which so far i didn;t do because of its generic character] without the need to keep latex usage in mind and only critical patches could make it into the copy) 
 
Hans 

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