carlson@ernie.Berkeley.EDU (Richard L. Carlson) (08/23/88)
[moved out of the .tech group; hope that doesn't mess people up too much] In article <1807@kalliope.rice.edu> phil@Rice.edu (William LeFebvre) writes: >In article <2993@haven.umd.edu> louie@trantor.umd.edu (Louis A. Mamakos) writes: >> I suppose that if I really begin to do serious TeX work, I'll >>probably spend the $200 and buy AmigaTeX. If the demo version on one >>of the Fish disks is any indication, its is a wonderful product. > >YES! It is a wonderful product. The more recent version that I picked up >earlier this year is even "wonderfuller" still. In some ways, my AmigaTeX >environment is superior to the TeX environment on the Suns (the only two >non-trivial minuses for the Amiga being the small/interlaced screen and >the lack of speed). And when you compare AmigaTeX to commercially ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >available TeX systems for other personal computers, AmigaTeX has more >features and a suprisingly reasonable pricetag (how much is TeXtures now? >$500?). I just have to make a clarification about this -- AmigaTeX is not slow! You're absolutely right that a 68000-Amiga isn't as fast as a 68020-Sun; but adjusting for raw CPU speed, I would bet that AmigaTeX would win. And AmigaTeX often beats TeX on our VAX 785 if the VAX has a few other users. But, of course, the speed of AmigaTeX depends greatly on how you have your Amiga environment set up. A couple of comments (that might be obvious to some, but hopefully will help others) -- if you have enough memory, REZ AmigaTeX, and it will start up instantly; similarly, put the format files in RAM: if you can; and I usually keep my TeX source file (and therefore TeX's output files) in VD0:. I only have floppies; and any disk I/O really slows things down (since TeX, like a compiler, does a lot of I/O); of course, if you have a hard disk (especially with the FFS :-) this will be less of an issue. By the way, I can't wait to see Tom's previewer running on a Hedley monitor! > >I'd say more, but this is probably the wrong newsgroup. If anyone wants >to hear me rave incessantly about AmigaTeX, just drop me a mail message. Ditto! > William LeFebvre > Department of Computer Science > Rice University > <phil@Rice.edu> -- Richard {tektronix,dual,sun,ihnp4,decvax}!ucbvax!ernie!carlson carlson@ernie.berkeley.edu
phil@titan.rice.edu (William LeFebvre) (08/24/88)
In article <25755@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> carlson@ernie.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Richard L. Carlson) writes: >[moved out of the .tech group; hope that doesn't mess people up too much] > >In article <1807@kalliope.rice.edu> phil@Rice.edu (William LeFebvre) writes: >>earlier this year is even "wonderfuller" still. In some ways, my AmigaTeX >>environment is superior to the TeX environment on the Suns (the only two >>non-trivial minuses for the Amiga being the small/interlaced screen and >>the lack of speed). And when you compare AmigaTeX to commercially > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >>available TeX systems for other ... > >I just have to make a clarification about this -- AmigaTeX is not slow! Oh my! I didn't mean to imply that. I was comparing the two overall environments. The difference in speed is, I am sure, solely caused by the difference in processors. I assumed that the context of that parenthetical comment (the fact that it was placed immediately after another hardware deficiency that is not at all the fault of AmigaTeX itself) would make my meaning clear. I firmly place the blame on the 68000/68020 difference! >You're absolutely right that a 68000-Amiga isn't as fast as a 68020-Sun; but >adjusting for raw CPU speed, I would bet that AmigaTeX would win. You are probably right. Furthermore, thanks to the previewer overlapping the previewing with TeX processing (there is a mode where the previewer reads in a page as soon as it is ready---it doesn't wait for TeX to finish), the slowness of the 68000 isn't really noticed because I'm too busy perusing the document! >But, of course, the speed of AmigaTeX depends greatly on how you have your >Amiga environment set up. A couple of comments (that might be obvious to >some, but hopefully will help others) -- if you have enough memory, REZ >AmigaTeX, and it will start up instantly; The tex executable has an option that makes it start over when it finishes a job, thus keeping the executable resident. It has another option that puts it in loop mode *AND* keeps the ".fmt" file in memory, making TeX ready for the next job in less than a second! >similarly, put the format files >in RAM: if you can; and I usually keep my TeX source file (and therefore >TeX's output files) in VD0:. Absolutely! I do that too. Of course, 3 megabytes really helps! The more recent version of AmigaTeX keeps the font files on color-coded disks. If the previewer needs to get a font off of one of the font disks, it will ask for it by color: the requestor asks "please insert disk Black.Red". This system makes it VERY easy to cope with the unavoidable (without a hard disk) multi-floppies problem. As Tom Rokicki and others know, I've raved about AmigaTeX in the past. But I have to say it again: great job, Tom! William LeFebvre Department of Computer Science Rice University <phil@Rice.edu>
ejkst@cisunx.UUCP (Eric J. Kennedy) (08/26/88)
In article <1812@kalliope.rice.edu> phil@Rice.edu (William LeFebvre) writes: [much praise deleted] >As Tom Rokicki and others know, I've raved about AmigaTeX in the past. >But I have to say it again: great job, Tom! I've got to second that. AmigaTeX is the best software I own, easily. Great when combined with Uedit and ARexx. I can be typing in Uedit, using real-time spell checking and abbreviation substitution, etc.; hit a function key, and be watching my previewed output in seconds.[*] Or, if I prefer, I can push preview to the back and continue editing immediately. TeX progress reports appear in Uedit's message line while I type, and if TeX hits an error, Uedit instantly switches to that file, (or loads it if it is not in a buffer) and puts the cursor at the location of the error. After a small problem was solved, the high density output on my epson compatible printer looks quite presentable, and the LaserJet output knocks my socks off. Fantastic setup. > William LeFebvre [*] Note: The nifty communication stuff with Uedit, Arexx, and TeX is done using ARexx and Uedit macros that I developed. They don't come with any of those products, but when I am finished with them, they will certainly be available to anyone who wants them, and I'll make sure Tom gets a copy. [Disclaimer--(sort of) I am merely a satisfied customer of Radical Eye Software and of Bill Hawes, and have no other affiliation with them. However, I am a beta tester for Uedit, so I know whereof I speak!!] -- ------------ Eric Kennedy ejkst@cisunx.UUCP