[tex-live] Deployment of TL 2018 (on multiple computers): release or updated?

[Norbert Preining]

Hi Denis,

others have answered already, but I had the feeling that your *original*
question was not answered:

> Is it nevertheless safe to install the release or is it safer to install
> TL at its current state?

I would suggest to wait even a bit more until binary updates are out.
Due to the late update of the LaTeX kernel just before the freeze, some
packages couldn't get the updates into TL for the DVD version, in
particular csquote. Several of them have been fixed in the meantime.

Up to now you could use today's tlnet, and it would be definitely better
than what is in the release .iso image.

But there are also several bugs in the binaries, most particular lost
ligature mappings in pdfs, so that text is not found anymore. And
crashes with certain png types.

We are preparing updates to the binaries just now, i386-linux and
x86_64-linux I updated today, win32 was updated by Akira already,
other binaries will hopefully follow. 

I strongly suggest:
* wait until the TL binaries for the archs you need are updated
* give it a test
* then use that state
instead of the iso.

> I know each snapshot of TL may content some critical bug but I ask the
> question because it would be tedious to update TL on each computer
> afterwards.

This can be done in the way Zdenek suggested. I have done this back then
in my old department with a variety of mac and unix computers, just one
master installation and all others just nfs mount.

Best

Norbert

--
PREINING Norbert                               http://www.preining.info
Accelia Inc.     +    JAIST     +    TeX Live     +    Debian Developer
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