We list here the free or shareware packages;
another question addresses
commercial TeX vendors' products.
Unix
Instructions for retrieving the Unix TeX distribution
via anonymous ftp are available in the document
systems/unix/unixtex.ftp, though nowadays the sensible installer will
take (and possibly customise) one of the packaged distributions such
as teTeX , or the
TeX Live CD-ROM (see TeX CD-ROMs).
For teTeX, browse systems/unix/teTeX/1.0/distrib/sources for relevant files: you
need at most one each of the .tar.gz files for teTeX-src,
teTeX-texmf and teTeX-texmfsrc
Sets of binaries for many common Unix systems are to be found as
part of the teTeX distribution, or on the TeX Live CD-ROM.
For teTeX binaries, browse systems/unix/teTeX/1.0/distrib/binaries - there's a
compressed .tar archive for each supported architecture in the
directory. In default of a precompiled version, teTeX will
compile on most Unix systems, though it was originally developed for
use under Linux (see below).
Beware the Slackware '96 CD-ROM distribution of NTeX: it
includes a version of the CM fonts that has deeply offended
Don Knuth (since it contravenes his distribution conditions). The
Slackware updates now offer teTeX, as do most Linux distributions.
PC
The emTeX package for PCs running OS/2, MS-DOS or Windows
includes LaTeX, BibTeX, previewers, and drivers, and is
available in systems/msdos/emtex as a series of zip archives. The
package was written by Eberhard Mattes, and documentation is
available in both German and English. Appropriate memory managers
for using emTeX with 386 (and better) processors and under
Windows, are included in the distribution.
A second package, gTeX, runs under MS-DOS or Windows (and its
users speak well of it). It is available from systems/msdos/gtex
The most recent offering is an MS-DOS port of the Web2C 7.0
implementation, using the GNU djgpp compiler. It
is available from systems/msdos/djgpp
PC: Win32
fpTeX, by Fabrice Popineau, is a version of teTeX for Windows
systems. As such, it is particularly attractive to those who need
to switch back and forth between Windows and Unix environments, and
to administrators who need to maintain both (fpTeX can use the
same texmf tree as a teTeX installation). fpTeX's
previewer (Windvi) is based on xdvi, and takes
advantage of extra facilities in the Win32 environment. Printing is
available via dvips only. fp\TeX is available from
systems/win32/fptex
MikTeX, by Christian Schenk, is also a comprehensive
distribution, developed separately from the teTeX work. It has
its own previewer, YAP, which is itself capable of printing,
though the distribution also includes a port of dvips.
See http://www.tex.ac.uk/tex-archive/systems/win32/miktex/ for
downloading details.
OzTeX is a shareware version of TeX for the Macintosh. A
DVI previewer and PostScript driver are also included. It should run
on any Macintosh Plus, SE, II, or newer model, but will not work on
a 128K or 512K Mac. It was written by Andrew Trevorrow, and is
available in nonfree/systems/mac/oztex
UK TUG prepays the shareware fee, so that its members may
acquire the software without further payment. Questions about
OzTeX may be directed to oztex@midway.uchicago.edu
Another partly shareware program is CMacTeX (available as
systems/mac/cmactex), put together by Tom Kiffe. This is much closer
to the Unix TeX setup (it uses dvips, for instance).
CMacTeX includes a port of the latest version of
Omega.
If anonymous ftp is not available to you, send a message
containing the line `help' to
atari@atari.archive.umich.edu
Amiga
Full implementations of TeX 3.1 (PasTeX) and METAFONT
2.7 are available in systems/amiga
You can also order a CD-ROM containing this and other Amiga software
from Walnut Creek CDROM, telephone (+1) 510-947-5997.
TOPS-20
TeX was originally written on a DEC-10
under WAITS,
and so was easily ported to TOPS-20. A distribution that runs on
TOPS-20 is available via anonymous ftp from ftp.math.utah.edu
(128.110.198.34) in pub/tex/pub/web
There are good TeX-writing environments and editors for most
operating systems; some are described below, but this is only a
personal selection:
Unix
Try GNU emacs, and the AUCTeX mode
(support/auctex). This provides menu items and control sequences
for common constructs, checks syntax, lays out markup nicely, lets
you call TeX and drivers from within the editor, and everything
else like this that you can think of. Complex, but very powerful.
VMS
An lsedit mode for editing TeX source is
available from
TUG
as TeXniques 1, VAX Language-Sensitive Editor, by Kent MacPherson
(1985).
MS-DOS
There are several choices:
The (shareware) 4AllTeX workbench (systems/msdos/4alltex)
provides a very
comprehensive environment written in 4DOS which lets you
access most TeX-related
software in a friendly way. You can choose your own editor;
something such as QEdit or Brief is
suitable. This whole package is available in easy-to-use form on
CD-ROM from TeX user groups.
TeXshell (systems/msdos/texshell) is a simpler,
easily-customisable environment, which can be used with the editor
of your choice.
Eddi4TeX (systems/msdos/e4t; also shareware) is a
specially-written TeX
editor which features intelligent colouring, bracket matching,
syntax checking, online help and the ability to call TeX
programs from within the editor. It is highly customisable, and
features a powerful macro language.
You can also use GNU emacs and AUCTeX
under MS-DOS.
Windows 3.1
Your best public domain bet is probably to use
MicroEmacs as an editor and control centre for TeX programs. The
gTeX package (systems/msdos/gtex) comes with MicroEmacs ready to go,
integrated with TeX, previewer, dvips and
Ghostscript.
TeXtelmExtel (systems/msdos/emtex-contrib/TeXtelmExtel) is a Shell for emTeX or
WTeX and related tools under Windows. It includes a
simple multiple-document editor, a built-in spelling checker,
automatic OEM/ANSI character conversion,
user-definable point-and-click Templates, support for the forward
and inverse search mechanism of DVI driver for Windows and
for automatic font generation. Besides the predefined tools, up to
10 user-defined tools can be set up.
On a PC with large enough memory, a version of
GNU emacs,
that will run under Windows, is available; thus you can also use
AUCTeX under Windows.
Y&Y's commercial (and high-quality) Windows previewer, dviwindo,
can be used as a good TeX shell, calling programs such as TeX,
drivers, and editors (Y&Y supply the public domain PE, and
recommend the commercial Epsilon) from customisable menus
(see commercial vendors for details of Y&Y).
Scientific Word is a WYSIWYG editing program, strong on maths, which
uses LaTeX for output (see vendors
for contact address).
Windows '9x, NT
Winedt, a shareware package (systems/win32/winedt/winedt32.exe),
is highly spoken of. It provides a shell for the use of tex and
related programs, as well as a powerful and well-configured editor.
OS/2
Eddi4TeX works under OS/2; look also at
systems/os2/epmtex for a specific OS/2 shell.
Macintosh
The commercial Textures provides an excellent integrated
Macintosh environment with its own editor. More powerful still (as an
editor) is the shareware Alpha (systems/mac/support/alpha) which is
extensible enough to let you perform almost any TeX-related job. It
works well with OzTeX.
Atari, Amiga and NeXT users also have nice environments. LaTeX
users who like make should try support/latexmk
There is another set of shell programs to help you manipulate
BibTeX databases.
There are many commercial implementations of TeX. The first
appeared not long after TeX itself appeared. Of the vendors,
ArborText (formerly Textset) and Personal TeX are those who have
survived longest (since the mid or early 80s).
What follows is probably an incomplete list. Naturally, no warranty or
fitness for purpose is implied by the inclusion of any vendor in this
list. The source of the information is given to provide some clues to
its currency.
In general, a commercial implementation will come `complete', that is,
with suitable previewers and printer drivers. They normally also have
extensive documentation (i.e., not just the TeXbook!) and some
sort of support service. In some cases this is a toll free number
(probably applicable only within the USA and or Canada), but others
also have email, and normal telephone and fax support.
Unix; TeX
Silicon Graphics Iris/Indigo, Solaris 2.1, IBM RS/6000,
DEC/RISC-Ultrix, HP 9000. ``Complete TeX packages. Ready to use,
fully documented and supported.''
ArborText Inc
1000 Victors Way
Suite 400
Ann Arbor MI 48108
USA
Tel: (+1) 313-996-3566
Fax: (+1) 313-996-3573
Source: TUGboat 15(1) (1994)
VAX/VMS; Convergent TeX
Complete system for VAX/VMS machines
(a version for Alphas is in preparation); includes LaTeX,
multinational typesetting support, METAFONT and Web.
Northlake Software, Inc.
812 SW Washington, Ste 1100
Portland, OR 97201
USA
Tel: (+1) 503-228-3383
Fax: (+1) 503-228-5662
Email: rau@nls.com
Source: Email from Pat Rau, November 1994
PC; TrueTeX
Runs on Windows 3.1, Window NT and Windows 95.
Richard J. Kinch
6994 Pebble Beach Court
Lake Worth FL 33467
USA
Tel: (+1) 561-966-8400
Fax: (+1) 561-966-0962
Email: kinch@holonet.net
Web: http://idt.net/~truetex
Source: News posting from Richard Kinch, October 1997
Micro Programs, Inc.
251 Jackson Ave.
Syosset, NY 11791
USA
Tel: (+1) 516-921-1351
Email: sales@microprograms.com
Source: AMS listing, November 1994
PC; Scientific Word
Scientific Word and Scientific Workplace
offer a mechanism for near-WYSIWYG input of LaTeX documents; they
ship with TrueTeX from Kinch (see above). Queries within the UK
and Ireland should be addressed to Scientific Word Ltd., others should be
addressed directly to the publisher, MacKichan Software Inc.
Dr Christopher Mabb
Scientific Word Ltd.
49 Queen Street
Peterhead
Aberdeenshire, AB42 1TU
UK
Tel: 0845 7660340 (within the UK)
Tel: +44 1779 490500
Fax: 01779 490600 (within the UK)
Email: christopher@sciword.demon.co.uk
Web: http://www.sciword.demon.co.uk
MacKichan Software Inc.
600 Ericksen Ave. NE, Suite 300
Bainbridge Island WA 98110
USA
Tel: (+1) 206 7802799
Fax: (+1) 206 7802857
Email: info@mackichan.com
Web: http://www.mackichan.com
Source: Mail from Christopher Mabb, May 1999
Macintosh; Textures
``A TeX system `for the rest of
us'''; also gives away a METAFONT implementation and some
font manipulation tools.
Blue Sky Research
534 SW Third Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
USA
Tel: 800-622-8398 (within the USA)
Tel: (+1) 503-222-9571
Fax: (+1) 503-222-1643
Email: sales@bluesky.com
Web: http://www.bluesky.com/
Source: TUGboat 15(1) (1994)
AmigaTeX
A full implementation for the Commodore Amiga,
including full, on-screen and printing support for all PostScript
graphics and fonts, IFF raster graphics, automatic font generation,
and all of the standard macros and utilities.
Radical Eye Software
PO Box 2081
Stanford, CA 94309
USA