[tex-live] Perl for Windows

[Reinhard Kotucha]

>>>>> "gnwiii" == gnwiii  <gnwiii at gmail.com> writes:

  > Maybe the DVD version should have a directory of the recommended
  > 3rd party tools (emacs, perl, ghostscript, ruby, GNU utilities).
  > With the most widely used packaging and configurations using the
  > default locations, conflicts with 3rd party apps such as the one
  > mentioned above are less likely, users can get required updates
  > from places other than TL, and TL maintainers can focus on things
  > more directly involving TeX (many people would like a more robust
  > dvi viewer).

I don't know whether we can expect that everybody has a DVD drive.
Replacing a CD-ROM by a DVD drive might even be impossible for people
with older laptops.

If more 3rd party software is desired, I fear that it has to go on the
DVD.  There will be more macro packages and more fonts than last year
and probably there will not be even enough space for Perl in the near
future. 

Of course, Ghostscript is needed.  I'm not sure about Ruby.  Recently
Hans said that all the 3rd party apps are easy to install under
Windows.  But on the other hand I find it very annoying that you have
to download things from different places.  It doesn't hurt if it's on
the DVD.

  > Many users find they don*t need to make .dvi files when using
  > preview latex.  The biggest source of confusion I see with Win32
  > users is that they think "run LaTeX" should be an editor menu
  > choice.

As a Linux/Emacs user I can understand them.  It's no problem for me
to use bash, but Emacs is so convenient...

  > A precompiled emacs with auctex is now available from:
  > ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/auctex/emacs+auctex-w32-2006-05-14.zip

I recently installed it on several machines at work and I'm impressed
how good it works.  I also have it on my USB stick (Windows Survival
Kit).  Installation is pretty easy, all you need is to unzip the file
in an arbitrary directory and put an icon on the desktop.

However, it needs a home directory and the environment variable HOME
to be set properly.  Some Windows users had not been able to do this.

It would be nice if this can be done by the LeXLive installer.  The
TEXMFHOME tree can then go there as well.

  > * -- Win32 has lost the apostrophe along with the cursor (arrow)
  > keys today!

If this is the only thing Windows lost, you are in luck.

Regards,
  Reinhard

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Reinhard Kotucha			              Phone: +49-511-4592165
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