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-% $Id: faq-getit.tex,v 1.11 2014/01/22 17:29:03 rf10 Exp $
-
-\section{Acquiring the Software}
-
-\Question[Q-archives]{Repositories of \TeX{} material}
-
-To aid the archiving and retrieval of of \TeX{}-related files, a
-\acro{TUG} working group developed the Comprehensive \TeX{} Archive
-Network (\acro{CTAN}). Each \acro{CTAN} site has identical material,
-and maintains authoritative versions of its material. These
-collections are extensive; in particular, almost everything mentioned
-in this \acro{FAQ}
-is archived at the \acro{CTAN} sites (see the lists of software at the
-end of each answer).
-
-There are two main \acro{CTAN} sites (in Germany and the \acro{UK}),
-but users should ordinarily collect material via the % ! line break
-\href{http://mirror.ctan.org/}{\acro{CTAN} mirror redirector}
-(which connects you to a mirror that is in some sense ``near'' to
-you).
-
-To access a particular thing through the \texttt{mirror.ctan.org}
-mechanism, simply place the \acro{CTAN} path after the base
-\acro{URL}; so
-\URL{http://mirror.ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/footmisc/} will
-connect you to the \Package{footmisc} directory at some \acro{CTAN}
-mirror.
-
-For details of how to find files at \acro{CTAN} sites, see
-``\Qref*{finding \AllTeX{} files}{Q-findfiles}''.
-
-The \TeX{} user who has no access to any sort of
-network may buy a copy of the archive as part of the
-\Qref*{\texlive{} distribution}{Q-CD}; the disc is, necessarily, out
-of date, but it is likely to be better than what (if anything) came
-with your operating system.
-\LastEdit{2012-12-14}
-
-\Question[Q-tds-zip]{Ready-built installation files on the archive}
-
-The \Qref*{\acro{TDS}}{Q-tds} is a simple structure, and almost all
-files can be installed simply by putting them in the ``right'' place,
-and updating a single index. (Note, this simple idea typically
-doesn't work for fonts, unless they're distributed as \MF{} source.)
-
-The CTAN network is therefore acquiring ``\acro{TDS}-\acro{ZIP}'' files,
-which have a built-in directory structure that matches the \acro{TDS}.
-These files have to be built, and the \acro{CTAN} team has asked that
-package authors supply them (the team will advise, of course, if the
-author has trouble). The \acro{CTAN} team hopes that the extra work
-involved will contribute to happier lives for package users, which in
-turn must surely help keep the TeX community lively and active.
-
-At the time of writing, there are rather few \extension{tds.zip}
-files (by comparison with the huge number of packages that are
-available). As packages are updated, the number of files is
-steadily increasing, but it will be a long time before the whole set
-is covered.
-
-Use of the files is discussed in % ! line break
-``\Qref*{installing using ready-built \acro{ZIP} files}{Q-inst-tds-zip}''.
-
-\Question[Q-nonfree]{What was the \acro{CTAN} \texttt{nonfree} tree?}
-
-When \acro{CTAN} was founded, in the 1990s, it was unusual to publish
-the terms under which a \TeX{}-related package was distributed (or, at
-any rate, to publish those terms formally).
-
-With the advent of the \TeX{} \emph{distributions}, however, people
-started to realise the need for such information, to protect those who
-create, distribute or sell the discs that hold the packages, etc.
-With the licence information available, the distributors can decide
-which packages may be distributed.
-
-The \acro{CTAN} team decided that it would be useful for users (and
-distributors, not to say package authors) to separate packages that
-were candidates for distribution, and those that were in some sense
-``not free''. Thus was the \texttt{nonfree} tree born.
-
-From the start, the \texttt{nonfree} tree was controversial: the terms
-under which a package would be placed on the tree were hotly
-contested, and the \acro{CTAN} team were only able slowly to populate
-the tree. It became obvious to the team that the project would never
-have been completed.
-
-The \acro{CTAN} catalogue now records the nature of the licences of a
-good proportion of the packages it describes (though there remain
-several for which the licence is unknown, which is as good, for the
-distributors, as a licence forbidding distribution). Since the
-catalogue's coverage of \acro{CTAN} is good (and slowly improving),
-the general rule for distributors has become
-\begin{quote}
-``if the package is listed in the catalogue, check there to see
-whether you should distribute; if the package is not listed in the
-catalogue, don't think of distributing it''.
-\end{quote}
-(The catalogue only has a modest % ! line break
-\CTANhref{cat-licences}{list of licences}, but it covers the set used
-by packages on \acro{CTAN}, with a wild-card ``\texttt{other-free}''
-which covers packages that the \acro{CTAN} administrators believe to
-be free even though the authors haven't used a standard licence.)
-
-There is a corollary to the `general rule': if you notice something
-that ought to be in the distributions, for which there is no catalogue
-entry, please let the \acro{CTAN} team (\mailto{ctan@dante.de}) know.
-It may well be that the package has simply been missed, but some aren't
-catalogued because there's no documentation and the team just doesn't
-understand the package.
-
-In the light of the above, the \texttt{nonfree} tree is being
-dismantled, and its contents moved (or moved \emph{back}) to the main
-\acro{CTAN} tree. So the answer to the question is, now, ``the
-nonfree tree was a part of \acro{CTAN}, whose contents are now in
-the main tree''.
-
-\Question[Q-uploads]{Contributing a file to the archives}
-
-You have something to submit to the archive~--- good news!
-
-Before we even start, here's a check-list of things to sort out:
-\begin{enumerate}
-\item Licence: in the spirit of \TeX{}, we hope for free software; in
- the spirit of today's lawyer-enthralled society, \acro{CTAN}
- provides a % ! line break
- \href{http://mirror.ctan.org/help/Catalogue/licenses.html}{list of ``standard'' licence statements}.
- Make sure that there's a formal statement of the licence of your
- package, somewhere in the files you upload; beyond the \acro{CTAN}
- installation, your package is a candidate for inclusion in \AllTeX{}
- distributions~\dots{} and thereafter, also in operating system
- distributions~\dots{} and the people who bundle all these things up
- need a clear statement of your intent.
-\item Documentation: it's good for users to be able to browse
- documentation before downloading a package. You need at least a
- plain text \File{README} file (exactly that name, upper case and no
- \extension{txt} extension); in addition a
- \acro{PDF} file of the package documentation, prepared for screen
- reading, is highly desirable.
-\item Name: endless confusion is caused by name clashes. If your
- package has the same name as one already on \acro{CTAN}, or if your
- package installation generates files of the same name as something
- in a ``normal'' distribution, the \acro{CTAN} team will delay
- installation while they check that you're doing the right thing:
- they may nag you to change the name, or to negotiate a take-over
- with the author of the original package. % beware line break
- \Qref*{Browse the archive}{Q-findfiles} to ensure uniqueness.
-
- The name you choose should also (as far as possible) be somewhat
- descriptive of what your submission actually \emph{does}; while
- ``descriptiveness'' is to some extent in the eye of the beholder,
- it's clear that names such as \File{mypackage} or \File{jiffy}
- aren't suitable.
-\end{enumerate}
-You upload via the
-\begin{flatversion}
- CTAN upload redirector: \URL{http://www.ctan.org/upload}
-\end{flatversion}
-\begin{hyperversion}
- \href{http://www.ctan.org/upload}{CTAN upload redirector}
-\end{hyperversion}
-(the archive's main page has a link). The upload page shows what it
-needs to know, and allows you to enter the information. The mechanism
-can only accept one file per upload: if you had intended to upload
-lots of files, you need to bundle them into an `archive' file of some
-sort; acceptable formats are \extension{zip} and \extension{tar.gz}
-(most uploads are packed in \extension{zip} format). Once you have
-completed your upload, the redirector assigns it to a member of the
-team for processing.
-
-If you can't use this method, or if you find something confusing, ask
-advice of the
-\begin{flatversion}
- \acro{CTAN} management team (\mailto{ctan@dante.de}).
-\end{flatversion}
-\begin{hyperversion}
- \href{mailto:ctan@dante.de}{\acro{CTAN} management team}
-\end{hyperversion}
-
-If your package is large, or regularly updated, it may be appropriate
-to `mirror' your contribution direct into \acro{CTAN}.
-Mirroring is only practical using \texttt{ftp} or \texttt{rsync}, so
-this facility is limited to packages offered by a server that uses one
-of those protocols.
-\begin{ctanrefs}
-\item[README.uploads]\CTANref{CTAN-uploads}
-\end{ctanrefs}
-\LastEdit{2013-01-31}
-
-\Question[Q-findfiles]{Finding \AllTeX{} files}
-
-Modern \TeX{} distributions contain a huge array of various sorts of
-files, but sooner or later most people need to find something that's
-not in their present system (if nothing else, because they've heard
-that something has been updated).
-
-But how to find the files?
-
-Modern distributions (\texlive{} and \miktex{}, at least) provide the
-means to update your system ``over the net''. This is the minimum
-effort route to getting a new file: `simply' find which of the
-distribution's `packages' holds the file in question, and ask the
-distribution to update itself. The mechanisms are different (the two
-distributions exhibit the signs of evolutionary divergence in their
-different niches), but neither is difficult~--- see % ! line break
-``\Qref*{using \miktex{} for installing}{Q-inst-miktex*}'' and % ! line break
-``\Qref*{using \texlive{} for installing}{Q-inst-texlive}''.
-
-There are packages, though, that aren't in the distribution you use
-(or for which the distribution hasn't yet been updated to offer the
-version you need).
-
-Some sources, such as these \acro{FAQ} answers, provide links to
-files: so if you've learnt about a package here, you should be able to
-retrieve it without too much fuss.
-
-Otherwise, \acro{CTAN} provides a full-text search, at its
-\href{http://www.ctan.org/}{`central database'} site, as well as
-topic- and author-based indexes and a link to browse the archive
-itself.
-
-% Two search mechanisms are offered: the simpler search, locating files
-% by name, simply scans a list of files (\File{FILES.byname}~--- see
-% below) and returns a list of matches, arranged neatly as a series of
-% links to directories and to individual files.
-
-% The more sophisticated search looks at the contents of each catalogue
-% entry, and returns a list of catalogue entries that mention the
-% keywords you ask for.
-
-An alternative way to scan the catalogue is to use the catalogue's
-% ! line break
-\href{http://mirrors.ctan.org/help/Catalogue/bytopic.html}{``by topic'' index};
-this is an older mechanism than the topic-based search (above), but is
-well presented (even though its data has not been updated for some time).
-
-In fact, \ProgName{Google}, and other search engines, can be useful
-tools. Enter your search keywords, and you may pick up a package that
-the author hasn't bothered to submit to \acro{CTAN}.
-
-A user of \ProgName{Google} can restrict the search to
-\acro{CTAN} by entering
-\begin{quote}
- \texttt{site:ctan.org tex-archive \meta{search term(s)}}
-\end{quote}
-in \ProgName{Google}'s ``search box''. You can also enforce the
-restriction using \ProgName{Google}'s ``advanced search'' mechanism;
-other search engines (presumably) have similar facilities.
-
-Many people avoid the need to go over the network at all, for their
-searches, by downloading the file list that the archives' web
-file searches use. This file, \File{FILES.byname},
-presents a unified listing of the archive (omitting directory names and
-cross-links). Its companion \File{FILES.last07days} is also useful, to
-keep an eye on the changes on the archive. Since these files are
-updated only once a day, a nightly automatic download (using
-\ProgName{rsync}) makes good sense.
-\begin{ctanrefs}
-\item[FILES.byname]\CTANref{f-byname}
-\item[FILES.last07days]\CTANref{f-last7}
-\LastEdit{2014-03-19}
-\end{ctanrefs}
-
-\Question[Q-findfont]{Finding new fonts}
-
-Nowadays, new fonts are seldom developed by industrious people using
-\mf{}, but if such do appear, they will nowadays be distributed in
-the same way as any other part of \alltex{} collections. (An
-historical review of Metafont fonts available is held on \acro{CTAN}
-as ``\mf{} font list''.)
-
-Nowadays, most new fonts that appear are only available in some
-scalable outline form, and a large proportion is distributed under
-commercial terms. Such fonts will only make their way to the free
-distributions (at least \texlive{} and \miktex{}) if their licensing
-is such that the distributions can accept them. Commercial fonts
-(those you have to pay for) do not get to distributions, though
-support for some of them is held by \acro{CTAN}.
-
-Arranging for a new font to be usable by \alltex{} is very different,
-depending on which type of font it is, and which \tex{}-alike engine
-you are using; roughly speaking:
-\begin{itemize}
-\item MetaFont fonts will work without much fuss (provided their
- sources are in the correct place in the installation's tree);
- \tex{}-with-\ProgName{dvips}, and \pdftex{} are ``happy'' with them.
- While a new font will need `generating' (by running \mf{}, etc.),
- distributions are set up to do that ``on the fly'' and to save the
- results (for next time).
-\item Adobe Type 1 fonts can be made to work, after \extension{tfm}
- and (usually) \extension{vf} files have been created from their
- metric (\extension{afm}) files; \extension{map} files also need to
- be created. Such fonts will work with \pdftex{}, and with the
- (`vanilla')\alltex{} and \ProgName{dvips} combination.
-\item TrueType fonts can be made to work with \pdftex{}~--- see
-% ! line break
-\href{http://www.radamir.com/tex/ttf-tex.htm}{Using TrueType fonts with \tex{}\dots{}}
- (a rather dated document, dicsussing use with \miktex{}~1.11).
-\item TrueType and OpenType fonts are the usual sort used by \xetex{}
- and \luatex{}; while straightforward use is pretty easy, one is
- well-advised to use a package such as \Package{fontspec} to gain
- access to the full range of a font's capabilities.
-\end{itemize}
-
-The answer ``\Qref*{choice of scalable fonts}{Q-psfchoice}'' discusses
-fonts that are configured for general (both textual and mathematical)
-use with \AllTeX{}. The list of such fonts is sufficiently short that
-they \emph{can} all be discussed in one answer.
-\begin{ctanrefs}
-\item[fontspec.sty]\CTANref{fontspec}
-\item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}\MF{} font list]\CTANref{mf-list}
-\end{ctanrefs}
-\LastEdit{2014-01-21}
-
-\Question[Q-CD]{The \TeX{} collection}
-
-If you don't have access to the Internet, there are obvious
-attractions to \TeX{} collections on a disc. Even those with net
-access will find large quantities of \TeX{}-related files to hand a
-great convenience.
-
-The \TeX{} collection provides this, together with
-ready-to-run \TeX{} systems for various architectures. The collection
-is distributed on \acro{DVD}, and contains:
-\begin{itemize}
-\item The \texlive{} distribution, including the programs themselves
- compiled for a variety of architectures; \texlive{} may be
- run from the \acro{DVD} or installed on hard disc.
-\item Mac\TeX{}: an easy to install \TeX{} system for MacOS/X, based
- on \texlive{}; this distribution includes a native Mac installer,
- % ! line break
- \href{http://www.uoregon.edu/~koch/texshop/}{the \TeX{}Shop front-end}
- and other Mac-specific tools;
-\item Pro\TeX{}t: an easy to install \TeX{} system for Windows, based
- on \miktex{}, based on an `active' document that guides
- installation; and
-\item A snapshot of \acro{CTAN}.
-\end{itemize}
-A fair number of national \TeX{} User Groups, as well as \acro{TUG},
-distribute copies to their members at no extra charge. Some user
-groups are also able to sell additional copies:
-contact your local user group or \Qref*{\acro{TUG}}{Q-TUG*}.
-
-You may also download disc images from \acro{CTAN}; the installation
-disc, Pro\TeX{}t and Mac\TeX{} are all separately available. Beware:
-they are all pretty large downloads. \texlive{}, once installed, may
-be updated online.
-
-More details of the collection are available from
-\begin{hyperversion}
- \href{http://www.tug.org/texcollection/}{its own web page}
- on the \acro{TUG} site.
-\end{hyperversion}
-\begin{flatversion}
- its own web page on the
- \acro{TUG} site \URL{http://www.tug.org/texcollection/}
-\end{flatversion}
-\begin{ctanrefs}
-\item[Mac\TeX{}]\CTANref{mactex}
-\item[Pro\TeX{}t]\CTANref{protext}
-\item[\texlive{} install image]\CTANref{texlive}
-\end{ctanrefs}
-