[tex-live] Feedback on TeX Live 2008 network installer under Win/XP :

[Norbert Preining]

On Mi, 06 Aug 2008, Philip TAYLOR (Ret'd) wrote:
> >> 4) "Use ~ for HOME/USERPROFILE" is not meaningful (to me).
> >
> > A better phrasing would be welcome.
> 
> I really mean it's not meaningful to me, not I'm
> being deliberately opaque.  Tell me what it means

Ok, what is meant:
	If you use ~ in the string you enter then it will be expanded
	to the current settings of $HOME (on unix) and %USERPROFILE% (on
	win32)

> in plain English, and I'll try to come up with
> a reasonable way of expressing it.

That would be great.

> >> 5) TEXMFHOME (...) ~/texmf : the concept of tilde is
> >> 	not a Windows concept.  I would like to specify
> >> 	"My documents/TeX/ here, but there is no browse	
> >> 	button and "My documents" is not a normal path.
> >
> > A browse button for the parent of TEXDIR would have been nice, but
> > would require too much redesigning of the GUI: asking users whether
> > or not they want the 2008 level etc. Again, too late for this
> > release.
> 
> OK, browse not possible in timescale, but how about
> offering a default that has a meaning in the
> Windows world (which ~/texmf does not).

It *HAS* a meaning and should NOT be changed!!!

The point is: Immagine a windows system with more than 1 user, which is
possible! NOw if you set
	TEXMFHOME = c:/Documents and Settings/User1
then User1 will have good luck, but User2 will have to use User1
directories for saving *his* files.

Using 
	TEXMFHOME = ~/texmf
in texmf.cnf allows that *every* user (on unix and win32) can use his 
home dir (%USERPROFILE%/texmf on win32) to put files.

That is new in the Windows world, I agree, but Windows and Unix are
coming at least in TeX Live closer together.

Best wishes

Norbert

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Dr. Norbert Preining <preining at logic.at>        Vienna University of Technology
Debian Developer <preining at debian.org>                         Debian TeX Group
gpg DSA: 0x09C5B094      fp: 14DF 2E6C 0307 BE6D AD76  A9C0 D2BF 4AA3 09C5 B094
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