Very Computer

If you are not rather predetermined for one operating system or
another, Linux might be a preferable choice as a TeX/LaTeX platform.
There are reasons for this:

Many TeX/LaTeX tools rely on PostScript processing.  While PostScript
is well-supported by default on most Linux systems (language of
choice for the printer spooler, large number of tools preinstalled
for dealing with it...), with Windows you have to install quite a bit
before having similar capacities at your disposal.

Then the batch processing nature of*makes it naturally work with
scripting.  This is a concept more natural in Unix than in Windows.
Solutions involving scripting languages like Perl and tools like
ImageMagick (for example, the LaTeX2html converter) are quite common.
Most of the numerous utilities relying on scripting tools will require
far less work to get going under Linux than under Windows.

Another advantage is that TeX/LaTeX come bundled with a typical Linux
installation, whereas you have to separately acquire them with
Windows.

Followups redirected to comp.text.tex, and crosspost made there.

--
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum

I find that my installation of MiKTeX to be simple and short.
It may well be that Linux is technically better for TeX/LaTeX
than is Windows for PS, but I really don't think that it is worth
all the trouble for the original poster, whom I had in mind, unless
the poster wants to learn a lot of Linux anyway. It's not exactly
a turn-key OS.

Quote:> Then the batch processing nature of*makes it naturally work with
> scripting.  This is a concept more natural in Unix than in Windows.

Again, I won't challenge this but it is probably not really important
to a TeX user who gets into TeX/LaTeX for occasional personal use only.

Quote:> Solutions involving scripting languages like Perl and tools like
> ImageMagick (for example, the LaTeX2html converter) are quite common.

I use the Windows converter TtH, which is trivial to use and free to get
(for noncommercial use). As an example of what I did with it, see:

      http://www.veryComputer.com/

Quote:

> Most of the numerous utilities relying on scripting tools will require
> far less work to get going under Linux than under Windows.

Unquestionably.

I do batch processing in NT native command language and in
REXX on Windows, no problem. Could do Perl as well in Windows.
Again, although much of this is built into Linux/Unix, it is still easy
to obtain (say Regina REXX for Windows), easy to install, and
free for Windows.

Quote:> Another advantage is that TeX/LaTeX come bundled with a typical Linux
> installation, whereas you have to separately acquire them with
> Windows.

Yes, but this is just a matter of downloading one or two installation
files at most,
unless one wants to do more advanced stuff.

I'm sure you'll win the argument of which is "best" but only
the original poster can know if Windows is insufficient by actually
trying it. There are other advantages to using the Windows versions
if one already owns a Windows version of retail graphics programs
that the user will use to make figures to include in the TeX documents.
I assume that the poster is already "Windows ready," so to speak.
I just don't want to see Windows get unfairly dismissed out of hand.

Maybe if I were a professional TeX/LaTeX typesetter I might move to the
TeX/LaTeX on my own Linux machine, but as just a personal TeX/LaTeX user
with Adobe Illustrator for Windows to my name, I think I'll stick with the
Windows
platform for now. Let's face it: All the TeX/LaTeX installations that one
must do for Windows that aren't included in Windows, but are included in
Linux,
are still much less effort than installing the Linux OS for a newbie. I'd
never
recommend that anyone not really interested in learning all about Linux
actually install it themselves. Maybe he or she should buy a machine
with Linux already installed.

cheers,

Patrick

[snip]

Quote:> > Then the batch processing nature of*makes it naturally work with
> > scripting.  This is a concept more natural in Unix than in Windows.

> Again, I won't challenge this but it is probably not really important
> to a TeX user who gets into TeX/LaTeX for occasional personal use only.

Hmm......  I'm someone who uses*for personal use only (at the
moment).  I find the fact that my available TeX systems are pretty much
firmly GUI-based (I use Macs) to be a right pain in the arse from time
to time - it'd be nice to have something Unix-like to automate a lot of
the jobs I do.  Apparently, this is what people are already doing under
MacOS X quite a lot, using teTeX (and OzTeX 5 beta as a shell interface
for some things - there's no point in being *ic about it, is
there?), 'cos MacOS X has BSD 4.4 under the bonnet.  Not that this is
terribly relevant to anyone without a Mac, but...  Think on this: some
Mac*users seem to quite like being able to use teTeX tools and
Unix command line stuff from time to time.  If people who have
deliberately selected the architypcal GUI OS are taking to that way of
doing things?

[snip]

Quote:> I'm sure you'll win the argument of which is "best" but only
> the original poster can know if Windows is insufficient by actually
> trying it.

... and comparing it to the pros and cons of other (La)TeX under other
operating systems after having tried 'em out.  I wouldn't know about the
ease of processing using various forms of Unix scripting (etc) to
automate LaTeX-related jobs unless I'd had the dubious pleasures of
actually trying that sort of thing out myself - I simply wouldn't be
properly aware that, for plenty of jobs, there are much better ways of
doing it than going via a GUI.

[snip]

Rowland.

--

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