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+\begin{multicols}{2}[\Section{Walnut Creek \TeX\ CDROM}]
+
+\let\Section\section
+
+\title{Part 1: A user's view}
+
+\author{J. M. Bowsher}
+
+\begin{article}
+I first heard of the \emph{Walnut Creek} \TeX\ CDROM (actually a pair of
+disks) when my faithful hardware and software suppliers {\it Systems
+Solutions} sent me a list of their latest CDROMs. I asked Peter Abbott
+about it when I renewed my subscription to \ukt, and he surprised me by
+sending me a copy to review and asking me to write down my opinions as
+one who works alone and is not connected to a network.
+
+The packaging is the usual for a pair of CDs, but the first thing I
+noticed was the depressing little message on the first disk ``type GO to
+start''; this warned me that the suppliers had IBM PC users only in
+mind. Fortunately, the disks are in ISO~9660 format, so my Atari ST was
+able to read them with no problems --- I expect that other platforms
+would have no difficulty either. However, I found when I accessed the
+first `readme' file that \emph{Walnut Creek} have used a format for
+informative text files which required me to use my word processor to
+read them; the ROM based ASCII text reader I normally use placed all the
+text, apart from the first couple of lines, off the right hand edge of
+the screen. \emph{Walnut Creek} provide in the root partition of the
+first disk what they claim is a powerful and versatile viewer, but they
+have failed to help workers on platforms other than the IBM PC --- there
+are no viewing programs for other systems.
+
+The root partition `readme' file told me that the CDROM contains,
+\emph{inter alia}, a snapshot of the \textsc{ctan}
+ archive taken between February
+and March 1995; it would therefore seem to be of considerable utility to
+the \TeX\ community; I look forward to reading the second part of this
+review by a \TeX\ expert. The first thing \emph{I} did after reading
+that first `readme' file was rush to the `systems' folder and see what
+was in it. The following systems are included: Acorn Archimedes, Amiga,
+Atari, Common \TeX, Knuth (Knuth's original sources), Mac, MSDOS, NT,
+OS2, Unix, VM-cms, VMS, web2c. I next discovered --- and this, I feel,
+is a very serious drawback --- that at least four different compression
+algorithms are used on this pair of disks. After only a few minutes
+searching around, I found \texttt{ARC}, \texttt{LZH}, \texttt{ZIP} and
+\texttt{ZOO} extensions, but no decompression facilities were provided
+in any of the systems sub-folders I looked through. I feel that the
+suppliers should have placed in each of the `systems' sub-folders, a set
+for \emph{that} system of executable decompression programs for every
+compression method used. Those on systems using $8 + 3$ character file
+names should be aware that some of the files on this CDROM do not use
+this naming convention.
+
+Obviously, I opened the Atari sub-folder first, but had to search
+through my floppy storage box to unearth a \texttt{ZOO} decompresser (I
+have never before had occasion to use \texttt{ZOO}) before I could
+discover that it contained version 7.00 of the Christoph Strunk \TeX\
+shell I use, and also a late version of the alternative Lindner shell.
+I installed version 7.00 on my machine as it is very pleasant to use
+English commands, but was sad to see that much of the supporting
+documentation is still in German. There are also several folders of
+useful utilities including, for example, many
+\texttt{dvi}~$\rightarrow$~printer drivers. Who knows, one of the
+600~dpi laser printer drivers may even work!
+
+A quick survey of other systems revealed that they seem to be provided
+for in a similar manner. I couldn't check that things worked, of
+course, but there were folders full of what looked like comparable
+material to that I had gone through in my native folder. I leave the
+discussion of the other, more basic, \TeX\ material to my fellow
+reviewer. I noticed lots of useful stuff; for example, hundreds of
+fonts (including a way of using printer resident Hewlett Packard laser
+fonts) in addition to the expected \texttt{cm}, \texttt{dc} etc.
+
+Thus my opinion is that this CDROM would be a versatile addition to
+almost anyone's collection provided they have the patience (if not using
+an IBM PC) to sort out decompression and file location problems. My
+file finding accessory deserved a much needed rest after working on this
+CDROM for a few hours!
+\end{article}
+
+\title{Part 2: An archivist's view}
+
+\author{Sebastian Rahtz}
+\begin{article}
+
+There have been four \textsc{ctan} CDROM collections that we know of.
+There were sections on CD even before the formal `opening' of the
+archive setup by George Greenwade in 1993 at Aston, thanks to Prime
+Time Freeware's offering, but the first full set was that issued by
+PTF in mid 1994. They planned a yearly update, but we are still
+waiting for a second edition; meanwhile, Walnut Creek issued their two
+disk set in mid 1995, and recently the German \TeX\ Users Group,
+Dante, has produced another one, which has not yet been seen in the UK
+(it is for `members only', in that delightfully open way Dante has).
+
+When the Prime Time Freeware CD came out, it was criticized for being
+all compressed using ZIP (which was better than the myriad methods
+used on the 1992 disk), which meant that all of \LaTeX, for instance,
+was in one giant archive. The Walnut Creek CD is better, because
+everything is uncompressed, as you would find it on the archives (from
+a year ago --- and much has changed since then), but
+the downside is that because there are two disks, what you want is
+always on the other one. Apart from that, it is a great convenience
+having a \textsc{ctan} snapshot at home, or in an unconnected office,
+and I congratulate Walnut Creek for producing it.
+
+Is a \textsc{ctan} dump a good idea, however? The most successful \TeX\
+CD is the 4All\TeX\ offering from NTG, which allows DOS users to run
+straight from a mounted disk if they like, and this can never be the
+case with a \textsc{ctan} dump. Do users want an archive, or a usable
+file system? With the increasing use of compound \texttt{docstrip}
+sources for \LaTeX\ packages, we need to \emph{install} material before
+we use it. The standard directory structure recently described by the
+TUG TDS working group is a vital stage in making the dream of a
+complete, usable, \TeX\ file system on a single CD come true, and I
+expect to see an offering this year.
+
+We need both \textsc{ctan} dumps for the unconnected, and TDS standard
+file systems for `plug-n-play'ers. \textsc{ctan} will continue to
+provide the raw material, but I hope that CD producers will spend more
+on adding value, and understanding the content. The Walnut Creek CD is
+useful, but not very useful for the complete beginner; it has not been
+done in consultation with the \textsc{ctan} maintainers, which is a
+pity.
+
+\end{article}
+
+
+\end{multicols}