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author | Norbert Preining <norbert@preining.info> | 2019-09-02 13:46:59 +0900 |
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committer | Norbert Preining <norbert@preining.info> | 2019-09-02 13:46:59 +0900 |
commit | e0c6872cf40896c7be36b11dcc744620f10adf1d (patch) | |
tree | 60335e10d2f4354b0674ec22d7b53f0f8abee672 /info/digests/texline/no11/umist.tex |
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diff --git a/info/digests/texline/no11/umist.tex b/info/digests/texline/no11/umist.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..b2d858247e --- /dev/null +++ b/info/digests/texline/no11/umist.tex @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ +\centerline{\bf Wheel re-invented at UMIST!} +\smallskip +\noindent +UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) run a +\TeX\ archive too! It is a lot more limited than the Aston Archive, and is +really only a small subset of components, targetted specifically for +workstations using SunView or X-windows (and printing on a \PS\ printer). In +theory, the archive is for Science and Engineering Research Council +grantholders. I assume that all grantholders get the Sun {\sc sparc2} as part +of the grant! The archive covers \TeX, \MF, \BibTeX, a {\tt dvips} and a pair +of previewers. There are the usual tools, but in addition they have an +interactive speller. + +Some interesting questions arise from this archive. First: why? All of this is +already available at Aston. Why is public domain software being supposedly +restricted to SERC grantholders? And the key one: did money pass hands? There +might be one other: what do the SERC grantholders without Sun workstations do? +For all that SERC are to be commended for their identification of the great +utility of \TeX\ and \TeX\ tools for the science and engineering community. And +for their willingness to put some resource into this general area. + +Since there is no way to restrict the archive to particular people, here's how +to use it: send mail to +\begintt +info-server@uk.ac.umist.cns +\endtt +The information server sends out files contained in mail messages. The requests +are of the form: +\begintt +request: subject +topic: topic within that subject +request: end +\endtt +For example, information about \TeX\ can be obtained by the following message: +\begintt +request: catalogue +topic: tex +request: end +\endtt +There is also a line-limit command for those restricted in message size. + +In order to use {\sc ftp} there is a guest account (that is, username {\tt +guest}), with a password of your email address (I guess this means that +anything will do: I cannot believe they have an index of all {\sc serc} +grantholders email addresses, far less kept them up to date!). + +UMIST also run a \TeX\ advice service. +The support line address is |tex-support@uk.ac.umist|. The mailbox is +monitored `regularly'. +Again, it isn't very clear either how +this is funded, or who is elegible for advice. If there is money floating +around in SERC for the support of worthy \TeX\ projects, there are lots more +which could do with some help or encouragement. \author{\mwc} |