Re: [9fans] KerTeX: e-TeX, CWEB and packaging!

[John Floren <john@jfloren.net>]

Voting Thierry for #1 poster of 2012 [so far]

Looking forward to trying the new release!


John

On Sun, Jan 1, 2012 at 3:02 PM,  <tlaronde@polynum.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> A supplementary note for Plan9 users before reproducing the announce.
>
> I was testing the new version on Plan9 when the infamous "Disk full"
> error occured [my plan9 installation is still the initial one...].
>
> So I have tested the compilation. The installation should go without
> problem, but there is a new thing that I have not tested: the new!
> packaging system.
>
> More précisely, to install LaTeX for example there is a "pkg_latex.sh"
> scripts that handles everything. The problem is not here, but in the
> "system dependent" part of pkglib.sh, indeed the http/ftp retriever
> (with a own pkg syntax). I have written it before testing... and have
> not tested.
>
> It would be mere chance if this preliminary version has no blunder (the
> script is short; but that's never prevented me from doing obvious stupid
> mistakes).
>
> So be careful... or courageous. [I will redo entirely the install
> sometimes in the week...].
>
> Now, the "official" announce:
>
> ==============================
>
> The 0.9999.0.2 version of kerTeX has been released.
>
> This version includes:
>
>        - NEW! NTS team' e-TeX (e-TeX passes the 3 steps ETRIP test); for
>        the ones unaware, amongst other things, e-TeX offers left-to-right
>        and right-to-left...
>
>        - NEW! Donald E. Knuth and Silvio Levy' CWEB programs (CWEBINPUTS
>        accept the same syntax for path searching as the other kerTeX
>        programs: colon separated alternatives);
>
>        - NEW! A packaging system!
>
> kerTeX passes the TRAP (METAFONT), TRIP (TeX), TWIST (New name for
> MetaPost torture test) and ETRIP (NTS e-TeX) tests.
>
>                         WHAT IS KERTEX?
>
> KerTeX aims to be a portable, maintainable, small and robust TeX kernel
> System, providing the basis upon which everything depends: D.E. Knuth's
> digital typography programs.
>
> It has maximum portability: C89 and that's all the binaries program. For
> running, one program---MetaPost---depends on a handful Bourne shell
> script. For the administration of the system, we use only a limited
> subset of essential POSIX.2 tools (that can typically be found on
> Plan9).
>
> KerTex has to be thought as a guest system: it is hosted by an OS. Once
> kerTeX is "ported" to the OS, the ideal would be that TeXpkg are solely
> the problem of kerTeX: one packages for kerTeX, and the host system has
> nothing to worry about.
>
> KerTeX is small (see LISEZ.MOI/README):
>
>        - 10 Mb of sources to download.
>
>        - The sources are taken read-only by the R.I.S.K framework. So one
>        needs, at least... 16 Mb of writable space to compile and package
>        (with R.I.S.K SAVE_SPACE=YES option, that removes all intermediary
>        products---including the generated Makefiles...---once a target is
>        obtained (make SAVE_SPACE=YES; make SAVE_SPACE=yes pkg).
>
>        - The initial installation needs 16 Mb of free space.
>
>        - After installation, kerTeX uses its own packaging system to
>        compile the dumps (for METAFONT, TeX, e-TeX and MetaPost) and to
>        generate the fonts and derived TFM. It is so for not running the
>        compiler/interpreter as root.
>
>                This adds 9 Mb to the base system. So it needs apx. 25 Mb to
>                install.
>
>
>                 TeX THE AWARD WINNING SOFTWARE!
>
>
> AWARDED! best software of 2012! [so far]
>
>
>       READ WHAT OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT kerTeX!
>
>
> Mr Euclides [Alexandria]: "Whoa!... If only I had had it before, I
> wouldn't have to copy my books by hand! And furthermore, I wouldn't have
> to answer again, and again and again! the very same question: How were
> your "other" books lost ? That's not my _books_ that were lost: that's
> my time, trying to install another TeX distribution!"
>
>                      EXTRACTS FROM THE FAQ
>
> Q: We are professionals in the printing business, with professional
> needs. Do you have a kerTeX-pro?
>
> A: no: all our products are professional ones.
>
> Q: We were planning to install a TeX distribution. So we have bought a
> Top10 supercomputer; planned to hire 30 TeX wizards and were in
> negociation to buy some Megawatts when heating is almost over, and
> cooling not already there, in order to have cheaper prices. And now, you
> announce this!!!! What shall I do?
>
> A: Resp.: sell, fire and revoke. With your pocket money, go to the next
> supermarket and buy a middle sized programmable toaster. It should have
> memory enough to cross-compile kerTeX for your wrist-watch.
>
>                         GET THE FACTS!
>
> The scientific community has shamelessly hiden what is known as David
> Hilbert's 24th problem---because it was deemed too hard. Here we restore
> the facts. David Hilbert has spoken in this way:
>
> "And last, because it is the most urgent; because it is the most
> difficult and shall be done first! I'm going to speak about the
> mathematical typographic problem!
>
> "We hear: TeX-easy ignorabimus: we don't know how to install TeX easily,
> and we will never know. I say: TeX-easy ignoramus: we don't know _yet_!
>
> "But because typography must help the mind; must be by its clarity the
> shortest path to the meaning (when there is one...); because a
> mathematician has to be able to draw new signs if he sees fit; to
> express the link between the notions by choosing the same letter, but at
> the same time showing the differences by rendering them in different
> shapes, a mathematician should never again [pause; lump in his
> throat]... never again [closing his eyes and shivering] be forced to
> use, because there was nothing else left, a gothic font! [loud cries;
> guitars; mathematicians shouting their love and throwing their
> underwears toward the platform].
>
> "So I say: from the mathematical typographic heaven Donald E. Knuth's
> has offered us! nobody should be allowed to banish us!"
>
>
>                           CONCLUSION
>
> In this moment when everybody will deliver "best wishes", I must
> recognize that the "best" is not my realm: I'm human. All I know is an
> effort towards a better. But a better _done_.
>
> This effort has a name: kerTeX!
>
> And it's here:
>
> http://www.kergis.com/kertex.html [FRENCH|
>
> http://www.kergis.com/en/kertex.html [ENGLISH (sort of)]
>
>
> --
>        Thierry Laronde <tlaronde +AT+ polynum +dot+ com>
>                      http://www.kergis.com/
> Key fingerprint = 0FF7 E906 FBAF FE95 FD89  250D 52B1 AE95 6006 F40C
>