TeX Frequently Asked Questions - Section 4

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# Acquiring the Software

## Repositories of TeX material

To aid the archiving and retrieval of of TeX-related files, a TUG working group developed the Comprehensive TeX Archive Network (CTAN). Each CTAN site has identical material, and maintains authoritative versions of its material. These collections are extensive; in particular, almost everything mentioned in this article is archived at the CTAN sites, even if its location isn't explicitly stated.

The CTAN sites are currently `dante.ctan.org`, `cam.ctan.org` and `tug.ctan.org`. The organisation of TeX files on all these sites is identical and starts at `tex-archive/`. To reduce network load, please use the CTAN site or mirror closest to you. A complete and current list of CTAN sites and known mirrors can be obtained by using the finger utility on `user' `ctan@cam.ctan.org`, `ctan@dante.ctan.org` or `ctan@tug.ctan.org`; it is also available as file `CTAN.sites`

To find software at a CTAN site, use anonymous `ftp` to the host, and then execute the command ``quote site index <term>`' (see finding files for details).

The email server `ftpmail@ftp.dante.de` provides an `ftp`-like interface through mail. Send a message containing just the line ``help`' to your nearest server for details of use.

Users on BITNET may access anonymous `ftp` for some files indirectly by sending mail to `BITFTP@PUCC.BITNET`. Send a message containing the line ``help`' to this address for more information. There is also the DECUS TeX collection of material for VMS, Unix, MS-DOS, and the Macintosh. It is available via anonymous `ftp` from `wuarchive.wustl.edu` (128.252.135.4) in `decus/tex/`. It can also be obtained from the DECUS Library (reference number VS0058) in the US, or through your DECUS office outside of the US. To contact the DECUS Library, send mail or telephone:

> DECUS
> LIBRARY ORDER PROCESSING
> 334 South Street, SHR3-1/T25
> Shrewsbury, MA 01545-4195
> USA
> Tel: 800-DECUS55 (within the USA, for information)
> Fax: (+1) 508-841-3373 (for inquiries)

or send electronic mail for information to the DECUS TeX Collection Editor, Ted Nieland (`nieland@ted.hcst.com`).

Finally, of course, the TeX user who has no access to any sort of network may buy a copy of the archive on CD-ROM (see TeX CD-ROMs).

## Contributing a file to the archives

Use anonymous `ftp` to any CTAN archive (see sources of software) and retrieve the file `README.uploads` in the root directory. It contains instructions for uploading files and notifying the appropriate people for that site.

If you cannot use `ftp`, mail your contribution to `ctan@urz.Uni-Heidelberg.de` and it will be passed along. You will make everyone's life easier if you choose a descriptive and unique name for your submission, so it's probably a good idea to check that your style file's name is not already in use by means of the ``site index`' command (finding files in the archives).

## Finding new fonts

A comprehensive list of METAFONT fonts is posted to `comp.fonts` and to `comp.text.tex`, roughly every six weeks, by Lee Quin (`lee@sq.sq.com`); it is available as `info/metafont-list`

The list contains details both of commercial fonts and of fonts available via anonymous `ftp`. Most of the fonts are available via anonymous `ftp` from the CTAN archives (see sources of software).

## TeX CD-ROMs

If you don't have access to the Internet, there are obvious attractions to TeX collections on a CD-ROM. Even those with net access will find large quantities of TeX-related files to hand a great convenience.

Ready-to-run TeX systems on CD-ROM are available:

- A consortium of User Groups (notably TUG, UK TUG and GUTenberg) distribute the TeX Live CD-ROM, now in its third edition. All members of several User Groups are receiving copies, and additional copies may be purchased, for example, from UK TUG for £25, including an edition of Baskerville which serves as a manual.

  On-line details of TeX Live are available at `http://www.tug.org/texlive.html`

- The Dutch TeX Users Group (NTG) publish the whole 4AllTeX workbench on a 2-CD-ROM set packed with all the MS-DOS TeX software, macros and fonts you can want. It is available from NTG direct (see user groups), from TUG for $40 and from UK TUG for £30 (a manual is included). It is a useful resource for anyone to browse, not just for MS-DOS users.

An alternative to the ready-to-run system is the CTAN archive snapshot; in general one would expect that such systems would be harder to use, but that the volume of resources offered would balance this extra inconvenience.

Walnut Creek CDROM provide a two-disc CD-ROM set, holding 1000Mb of TeX-related material. Information about the CD-ROM is available at `http://www.cdrom.com/titles/prog/tex.html`, which also has a link to an ordering page. Walnut Creek's address, etc., are:

> Walnut Creek CDROM
> 4041 Pike Lane, Ste D-www
> Concord, CA 94520
> USA
> Tel: (+1) 510 674-0783 or 800 786-9907 (within the USA and Canada)
> Fax: (+1) 510 674-0821
> Email: `info@cdrom.com` (for questions) and `orders@cdrom.com` (for orders)

Walnut Creek (who run one of the major CTAN mirrors) are rumoured to be producing a new release of their disc set in 1997.

Prime Time Freeware produced TeXcetera 1.1 in July 1994, which was a snapshot of CTAN taken in June 1994. Regular updates were planned (but have not apparently been forthcoming). The material is all compressed in ZIP format to fit it all on one CD, and to avoid the limitations of the ISO 9660 file system directory. You can buy the CD from:

> Prime Time Freeware
> 370 Altair Way, Suite 150
> Sunnyvale CA 94086
> USA
> Tel: (+1) 408 433 9662
> Fax: (+1) 408 433 0727
> Email: `ptf@cfcl.com`

or from many CD-ROM resellers, or the TUG office. Price will be around $60. Please note that PTF is not a big commercial firm, and is a good friend of the TeX community.

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