UK TeX FAQ -- question label TeXsystems

### (La)TeX for different machines

We list here the free or shareware packages; another question addresses commercial TeX vendors’ products.

Unix
  The only current distribution of TeX for Unix systems (including GNU/Linux and other free Unix-like systems) is TeX Live, which is distributed as part of the TeX collection.

  Members of many TeX user groups receive copies of the collection (on DVD), as part of their membership of the groups.

  MacOS/X is also a Unix-based system; however users should refer to the information below, under item “Mac”.

  TeX Live may also be installed “over the network”; a network installer is provided, and once you have a system, a manager (tlmgr) can both keep your installation up-to-date and add packages you didn’t install at first.

  `texlive`
    Browse systems/texlive/
  `texlive installer (Unix)`
    systems/texlive/tlnet/2008/install-tl-unx.tar.gz
Linux
  GNU/Linux users are supported by TeX Live (as noted above).

  A free version of the commercial VTeX extended TeX system is available for use under Linux, which among other things specialises in direct production of PDF from (La)TeX input. Sadly, it’s no longer supported, and the ready-built images are made for use with a rather ancient Linux kernel.

  For the future, the MiKTeX developer intends to release a version of that excellent (Windows) system for use on Linux; a beta version is available via the MiKTeX site.
  `texlive`
    Browse systems/texlive/
  `vtex`
    systems/vtex/linux (or browse the directory)
  `vtex required common files`
    systems/vtex/common (or browse the directory)
PC: Windows
  MiKTeX, by Christian Schenk, is a comprehensive distribution. It has its own previewer, YAP, which is itself capable of printing, though the distribution also includes a port of dvips. The current version is available for file-by-file download (the HTML files in the directory offer hints on what you need to get going). MiKTeX can automatically install packages that it “knows about”, but that aren’t in your system (it gets them over the network). Furthermore, users may keep their installation up-to-date, over the network: the distribution contains a “package manager”, through which the user may select individual packages, or request that every extant update be retrieved.

  MiKTeX may also be used in a configuration which involves no installation at all: its “portable” distribution may be unpacked on a memory stick, and used on any windows computer without making any direct use of the hard drive. This is the first “official” release of such a setup, though a similar object has been available on the net for some time.

  The MiKTeX developers also provide a ready-to-run copy of the distribution, on CD (for purchase) via the MiKTeX web site; otherwise the setup executable is available on CTAN, together with all the optional packages.

  ProTeXt, part of the TeX collection by Thomas Feuerstack, is a further option for installing MiKTeX. It bundles a MiKTeX setup with some further useful utilities, together with a PDF file which contains clickable links for the various installation steps, along with explanations.

  Windows users are also supported directly by the TeX Live distribution; a system is provided on the installation disc of the TeX collection. The system may also be installed over the network, using an installer application tailored for use with Windows.

  XEmTeX, by Fabrice Popineau (he who created the excellent, but now defunct, fpTeX distribution), is an integrated distribution of TeX, LaTeX, ConTeXt, XEmacs and friends for Windows. All programs have been compiled natively to take the best advantage of the Windows environment. Configuration is provided so that the resulting set of programs runs out-of-the-box.

  The (Japanese) W32TEX distribution was motivated by the needs of Japanese users (Japanese won’t fit in a “simple” character set like ASCII, but TeX is based on a version of ASCII). Despite its origins, W32TEX is said to be a good bet for Western users, notably those whose disks are short of space: the minimum documented download is as small as 95 MBytes. Investigate the distribution at http://www.fsci.fuk.kindai.ac.jp/kakuto/win32-ptex/web2c75-e.html

  A further (free) option arises from the CygWin bundle, which presents a Unix-like environment over the Win32 interface; an X-windows server is available. If you run CygWin on your Windows machine, you have the option of using TeX Live, too (you will need the X-server, to run xdvi). Of course, TeX Live components will look like Unix applications (of course, that’s presumably what you wanted), but TeX under CygWin also reputedly somewhat slower than native Win32 implementations such as MiKTeX or XEmTeX. The (now obsolete) teTeX distribution is provided as part of the CygWin distribution, and but you can build your own copy of TeX Live from the current sources.

  BaKoMa TeX, by Basil Malyshev, is a comprehensive (shareware) distribution, which focuses on support of Acrobat. The distribution comes with a bunch of Type 1 fonts packaged to work with BaKoMa TeX, which further the focus.
  `bakoma`
    systems/win32/bakoma/
  `miktex`
    Acquire systems/win32/miktex/setup/setup.exe (also available from the MiKTeX web site), and read installation instructions from the MiKTeX installation page
  `Portable miktex`
    systems/win32/miktex/setup/miktex-portable.exe
  `protext.exe`
    systems/win32/protext/
  `texlive`
    Browse systems/texlive/
  `texlive installer (Windows)`
    systems/texlive/tlnet/2008/install-tl.zip
PC: MSDOS or OS/2
  EmTeX, by Eberhard Mattes, includes LaTeX, BibTeX, previewers, and drivers, and is available as a series of zip archives. 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. EmTeX will operate under Windows, but Windows users are better advised to use a distribution tailored for the Windows environment.

  A version of emTeX, packaged to use a TDS directory structure, is separately available as an emTeX ‘contribution’. Note that neither emTeX itself, nor emTeXTDS, is maintained. Most users of Microsoft operating systems, who want an up-to-date (La)TeX system, need to migrate to Win32-based systems.
  `emtex`
    systems/msdos/emtex (or browse the directory)
  `emtexTDS`
    obsolete/systems/os2/emtex-contrib/emtexTDS (or browse the directory)
PC: MSDOS
  The most recent MSDOS offering is a port of the Web2C 7.0 implementation, using the GNU djgpp compiler. While this package is more recent than emTeX, it still implements a rather old instance of (La)TeX.
  `djgpp`
    systems/msdos/djgpp (or browse the directory)
PC: OS/2
  EmTeX, by Eberhard Mattes (see above), was actually developed under OS/2, and lives happily in that environment.

  OS/2 users may also use a free version of the commercial VTeX, which specialises in direct production of PDF from (La)TeX input. (This version is, like the Linux version, unfortunately no longer supported.)
  `emtex`
    systems/msdos/emtex (or browse the directory)
  `emtexTDS`
    obsolete/systems/os2/emtex-contrib/emtexTDS (or browse the directory)
  `vtex`
    systems/vtex/os2 (or browse the directory)
  `vtex required common files`
    systems/vtex/common (or browse the directory)
Mac
  OzTeX, by Andrew Trevorrow, is a shareware version of TeX for the Macintosh. A DVI previewer and PostScript driver are also included. (Members of UK TUG may acquire the software without further payment, as part of a membership deal.) OzTeX does not run, natively, under MacOS/X, but will run with a sufficiently recent CarbonLib (see http://www.trevorrow.com/oztex/ozosx.html). Other questions about OzTeX itself may be directed to oztex@midway.uchicago.edu

  Another partly shareware program is CMacTeX , put together by Tom Kiffe. CMacTeX is much closer than OzTeX to the Unix TeX model of things (it uses dvips, for instance). CMacTeX runs natively under includes a port of a version of Omega.

  Both OzTeX and CMacTeX run on either MacOS/X or on a sufficiently recent MacOS with CarbonLib (v1.3 for OzTeX, v1.4 for CMacTeX).

  From its 2005 release, the TeX Live disc set includes MacTeX. Details (and a downloadable distribution set) may be found on the TUG web site; the distribution is also on CTAN.

  A useful resource for Mac users has a news and ‘help’ section, as well as details of systems and tools. The MacTeX-on-OSX mailing list is a useful resource for users; mail MacOSX-TeX-on@email.esm.psu.edu to subscribe.
  `cmactex`
    systems/mac/cmactex (or browse the directory)
  `mactex`
    systems/mac/mactex/
  `oztex`
    systems/mac/oztex (or browse the directory)
OpenVMS
  TeX for OpenVMS is available, though it seems unlikely that the version on CTAN is the latest available.
  `OpenVMS`
    systems/OpenVMS/TEX97_CTAN.ZIP
Atari
  TeX for the Atari ST is available from CTAN.
  `Atari TeX`
    systems/atari (or browse the directory)
Amiga
  Full implementations of TeX 3.1 (PasTeX) and Metafont 2.7 are available.
  `PasTeX`
    systems/amiga (or browse the directory)
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 in \path{pub/tex/pub/web

This question on the Web: http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=TeXsystems