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authorNorbert Preining <norbert@preining.info>2019-09-02 13:46:59 +0900
committerNorbert Preining <norbert@preining.info>2019-09-02 13:46:59 +0900
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+\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}