[tex-live] tds.zip

[Zdenek Wagner]

2008/11/19 Ulrike Fischer <news2 at nililand.de>:
> Am Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:28:51 -0500 schrieb Jim Hefferon:
>
>> Ulrike Fischer:
>>> I don't understand what this means. Why is a .tds.zip not suitable for
>>> CTAN?  (There are a lot tds.zip on CTAN).
>>
>> I can give you my take.  One of the most common comments we get from
>> users is that it is hard for people to understand what the packages do.
>> We have responded by spending a lot of effort asking for documentation
>> (both README's and .pdf's), by doing a lot of work on the Catalogue
>> (much of it Robin's), and by trying to make the materials easy to
>> navigate on the web.  .tds.zip layouts are very hard to navigate.
>
> My question wasn't meant critical or something like this. I was really
> wondering. As a miktex user I don't have to install many packages
> manually but when the need arise I like the tds.zip: In windows they are
> very easy to use -- even if you don't dare to unzip it directly in the
> tree. Windows shows the zip in a normal explorer view, you see the
> pathes of the files, you can copy the folders and move them to the
> texmf. There is no need to compile dtx and ins files and to create a lot
> of subfolders. I would always recommend to use the tds.zip for manual
> installation.
>
The file roller in Linux and zipme in OS/2 do pretty the same. I agree
that .tds.zip are the best choice for installation unless the package
is very simple.

> Btw: apart of the tds.zip there are also two install.txt and the manual
> in the project files of KOMA.
>
>
>> But in part the question goes to what is the role of the archive: for
>> instance, to what extent do ordinary users go there and to what extent
>> are they just going to their distribution?
>
> In Germany we say that the role of archives is "Sammeln und Bewahren"
> ("collect and preserve"). The first task of an archive is to _have_
> something and only then comes usability and presentation. I value the
> work you do in the catalogue and navigation very much, but the most
> important thing of CTAN for me is that the files are _there_ at least
> for reference. I hate it if packages are only on some more or less
> personal websites. There is always the danger that I lose the link or
> that the website disappears.
>
>From the other side, I make packages and I intend to rovide them for
others so that they can be used. I could put them on my website but
people will have difficulties to find them. CTAN is much better place.
My website contains only links to my packages on CTAN so that those
who are interested in my work can find them. I am happy that my
packages can be on CTAN and TeX Live.

> --
> Ulrike Fischer
>
>



-- 
Zdeněk Wagner
http://hroch486.icpf.cas.cz/wagner/
http://icebearsoft.euweb.cz