dhosek@euler.claremont.edu (Don Hosek) (06/25/91)
-I agree that TeXtures is a fine product. But why spent hundreds of $$ while
-you can get OzTeX free? I will compare the feature below.
A few reasons off the top of my head include the fact that
Textures blends in with the Macintosh environment more cleanly
than OzTeX and has readily available support (Andrew Trevorrow is
still in India, I believe, and rather difficult to contact in any
event).
-> 1. TeXtures provides a built-in editor for documents of any size.
-OzTeX doesn't have a built-in editor. But it comes with a DA editor. You can
-use other editors, too. I think alpha is a fine editor. It also has a TeX
-mode (much like emacs).
True, but alpha can be used with Textures as well, c'est ne pas?
-> 2. Includes a WYSIWYG preview window that displays the finished typeset
-> documents along with graphics in proper relations to the text.
-OzTeX has preview. But it can't display pictures.
One nice thing I noticed last time I used Textures was that the
preview window would pop up a page as soon as TeX was done with
it (a la AmigaTeX).
-> 3. Pop-up magnifier in the preview window that allows up to 8X
-> magnification.
-You can zoom in and out the previewed dvi files. You can also preview the
-dvi file with different TeX magnifications, I don't think TeXtures can do
-this.
Yes it can. I forget the range of sizes that were available (I'm
not a regular Mac user myself), but it was more than adequate.
The pop-up magnifier, as xdvi users can attest, is very nice.
-> 4. You may place Tiff, PostScript, Pict, or Paint images in your
-> document.
-You can put postscript, PICT in your document with OzTeX.
-> 5. Includes version 3.0 of TeX, and passes Knuth's "torture" Trip test.
-OzTeX is a port of TeX 3.02.
Umm, no such thing as TeX 3.02 there's 3.0, 3.1 and 3.14 (we're
converging on pi). This does remind me that I need to call up
Barry and find out why I've fallen off his mailing list.
Incidentally, for comparison purposes, OzTeX is a manual
translation to Modula-2 of the code wihle Textures is a straight
port of the Pascal.
-> 6. Includes 75 Computer Modern Fonts along with font metrics.
-OzTeX uses PK font format, it comes with a set of 300dpi font for laser
-printer. You can also use the pk font from any other computer. You can also
-build the fonts with other resulotion for fit you printer, such as Apple
-StyleWriter. The CM fonts from TeXtures are designed for laser printer. It
-has problem printing on a StyleWriter.
-> 7. Uses all PostScript fonts.
-What do you mean 'all'? OzTeX uses postscript fonts,too. It also comes with
-Times-LaTeX format so you don't have to change your LaTeX input file and
-still have postscript font output.
Actually, the more accurate term would be that Textures uses all
Mac fonts. It can deal with ATM, suitcase fonts and maybe
TrueType as well. One does need to come up with font metrics but
a good set is supplied as I recall. Since it uses the standard
Mac print mechanism, it has a much easier time dealing with new
fonts/new printers. On the other hand, OzTeX's being closer to
the mainframe world makes it easier to move PKs etc. down for use
on the Mac. This is a big plus for the person moving back and
forth between, say, Unix and the Mac (of course their specials
are still incompatible :-(...) Blue Sky will give you (free!) a
utility for converting PKs to suitcase format. They also have a
Metafont version coming out (or maybe already out. Doug Henderson
was showing things off last I heard).
-> 8. One may read and write DVI files.
-OzTeX does the same.
-> 9. Supports all TeX macro packages, e.g. SLiTEX, LaTeX, and AmSTeX.
-OzTeX also ships with SLiTeX, LaTeX, and a outdated AmSTeX.
->10. InitTeX integrated into the package, and thus allowing users
-> to create their own macro packages.
-OzTeX comes with IniTeX.
->11. Prints to any PostScript device, ImageWiter, StyleWriter, Laser-
-> Writer SC, and DeskWriter.
-OzTeX can print on postscript device. You can use dvim72-mac to print on the
-quickdraw printer, such as stylewriter, imagewriter. Don't be fooled by 72,
-dvim72-mac can use fonts with higher resolution (144, 300, 360 ...), too.
-The CM font with TeXtures are build for 'write on black' laser printer
-engine. It looks too light when printed on a 'write on white' engine. You
-are stuck if you have such a laser printer, We have one :-(. Unless you want
-spend extra $$ to buy the postscript fonts from Blu Sky. Also, as I said
-before, TeXtures has problem printing on a StyleWriter.
As I mentioned above, there is the option of converting PKs to
their format for your write-white printer.
->12. Can be used with any Maciontosh with 2MB RAM and a hard disk.
-OzTeX uses about 800k.
->13. Also avialable at additional at an additional charge are Computer
-> Modern PostScript fonts, and MetaFont.
-a set of TeX utilities is available as MPW tools. Metafont is also available
-as MPW tools.
-Source code (In Module-2) is available at NO COST.
->For any additional information call or write Blue Sky Research at
-> Blue Sky Research
-> 534 Southwest Third Avenue
-> Portland, Oregon 97204
-> (800) 622-8398
-> (503) 222-9571
-> FAX: (503) 222-1643
-To get OzTeX, ftp midway.uchicago.edu or some other ftp sites.
One quick note. All .SIT files at ymir.claremont.edu are corrupt
so avoid obtaining them from here. I'm working on putting
non-corrupt hqx files up, but it's a low priority.
->mahbodb@techbook.COM ...!{tektronix!nosun,uunet}techbook!mahbodb
->Public Access UNIX at (503) 644-8135 (1200/2400) Voice: +1 503 646-8257
->Public Access User --- Not affiliated with TECHbooks
-I have no connect to either Blue Sky or the author of OzTeX. I was a
-TeXtures user and now am a happy OzTeX user.
-Guangliang He
-ghe@physics.orst.edu
Just a closing comment. Both OzTeX and Textures are superlative
products. However, they are very different in their design
philosophies. Textures buys into the Mac look and feel far more
than OzTeX does. This is intentional. OzTeX was meant to be
something for people who wanted to TeX things from their
mainframe. Textures was designed as a stand-alone product aimed
more at people who were primarily Mac users.
-dh
--
Don Hosek
dhosek@ymir.claremont.edu
Quixote Digital Typography
714-621-1291