Now if you want an overview of what is out there for TeX on MacOS X, you are in the right place. Just look atop of this window. These pages include brief descriptions of the codes listed in the Applications Table. Some of them will get briefer over time as we finish our editing, and some may be extended to do the codes justice. They always point to the home page of the code where you can get a more in-depth description of the individual codes. The latest and greatest announcements are usually posted on the Mac-TeX Mailing List.

If you booted up your machine and aren't sure if your using a Mac, don't be embarassed. If Windows converges any more to the mac it will actually boot with Welcome to Macintosh. If you don't permanently have a menu bar attached to the top of your screen, you're either using Windows, Linux, or some variant of Unix. If you are using Windows, here are a few links to get you started. Too bad. TeX on the Mac has become very polished, and provides more selection than you can find on Windows (yes, yes, I use Windows... when I have to). If you are using a variant of Unix (including Linux, but not including MacOS), try CTAN.

If you are totally new, and want to find out what this TeX/LaTeX/ConTeX thing is all about, please select the Getting Started tab. Please send us your feedback. We old pros aren't very good at seeing where our guidance to the new TeXer falls short.

Also, did I mention the section on our mailing list below?

Getting Started does like it says. It is an overview document with no intent to be comprehensive in nature. There are sections on the different types of environments available, as well as an exceptionally brief first test document. The Getting Started document itself is available for download in LaTeX format along with instructions on how to get the pieces of it together and working.

Applications Table will get the most updating. Whenever a new significant release is announced, we will change the version number, and change of the date in the table. The table lists every piece of code that we know of. If something is missing, please tell us!

Front Ends are codes specifically designed for TeX. They create an environment from which many TeX elements (LaTeX, ConTeX, PDFLaTeX, ...) can easily be accessed through menus.

Editors seems self explanatory, but it can get confusing since many Front Ends also include editors in them. An Editor is used here for any text editor that has features specifically devoted to TeX and/or variants. Editors support multiple programming languages, and are not specifically devoted to TeX.

Engines are the actual code and macros that do the "TeXing". This means Knuth's code must be in there somewhere, along with (most likely) Lamport's, and others. More senior TeX implementations like OzTeX and CMacTeX now qualify as both Front Ends and Engines. The way that MacOS X is structured allows the Unix variant, teTeX, to be compiled and used. Don't worry, it's already been done, twice that we have mentioned on that page. It's a good thing, since the Cocoa (not the hot drink) environments are dependent on using them.

Tools and Utilities are miscellaneous items useful for performing tasks such as bibliography database management, converting Word documents into LaTeX, spell checking... you really should just skim through this page. It's worth it.

References are just that. They generally have nothing to do with stated intent of this site, but help prevent us from getting a lot of questions regarding TeX. Please review these and your documents before contacting us regarding LaTeX. In fact, LaTeX questions should be sent to the TeX newsgroup anyway. They respond much faster (there are more people reading it), and you have a better chance of getting a correct answer. We're pretty good in LaTeX (not even in other variants!), but we just know how to get by.

In summary: please skim through these pages. I'll bet you'll learn about at least one new tool today! If I'm wrong, go to some of the home pages of these codes and you'll certainly learn something new.

Yours Truly,

Joe Slater

For the latest announcements and lively discussion, we encourage you to subscribe to the TeX on Mac OS X mailing list. For those who don't like to get on lists, we do not use your email address in any way. This is an edu (educational) site (see the url) and we couldn't profit from them if we wanted to. If you wish to filter the messages using your mail client, the "To:" field always contains "MacOSX-TeX@email.esm.psu.edu".

By subscribing to this list you agree to these principles:

1. Users agree to maintain civility...this includes avoiding `flame-wars'. Please take such communications off-list. Users are referred to the Netiquette home page (RFC 1855) for further guidelines regarding behavior on the web.
2. If you are new to LaTeX (or TeX+macros) please first read the Getting Started document and then make yourself familiar with the rest of the pages on this web site. The Getting Started document document contains an overview of many of the primary options, and also is a document you can start with (see the section "Trying It Out: My First LaTeX Document"). Everything for creating that document is available for download from the document itself.
3. Users agree to, for the most part, stay on-topic. This list is meant to focus on Mac OS X-specific TeX questions. Occasionally we all go off topic and it can be useful, but keep in mind that many questions are easily answered by looking at one or more of the following first:
   1. Search the comp.text.tex newsgroup on Google.
   2. Read the list on GMANE.
   3. A wonderful FAQ plus more has been generated by Stephan Hochhaus and it is perhaps the best way to glean information out of past posts to the list. It's highly recommended that you look there first before posting questions to the mailing list.
   4. You can read the digests of the list before mid Sept. 2005.
   5. Or, you can read the digests of the list after 2002 with even better archive features!
   6. The References page on this web site contains a multitude of other sources. This includes introductions to (La)TeX, web resources, commonly needed manuals, recommended books, etc.
   Only after becoming familiar with these other sources should you feel comfortable sending a non-Mac related question to the list.
4. Generic announcements likely to be of interest to the Mac TeX community are encouraged.
5. Users are encouraged to follow the quoting guidelines at learn to quote. Summary: replace irrelevant material with a < snip >, respond below the text you are responding to, and don't let your email application change the subject.
6. Announcements regarding Mac-software and Mac-ports of multi-platform software are strongly encouraged.

To subscribe, select 'I agree to these principles'.

This is a discussion list for all things related to Emacs under Mac OS X. For those who don't like to get on lists, we do not use your email address in any way. This is an edu (educational) site (see the url) and we couldn't profit from them if we wanted to. If you wish to filter the messages using your mail client, the "To:" field always contains "macosx-emacs@email.esm.psu.edu".

1. Users are referred to the Netiquette home page (RFC 1855) for guidelines regarding behavior on the web.
2. Please stay on-topic. When starting a new thread, please start a new message -- don't reply to a message on another thread. This is immensely helpful for those using threaded email clients.
3. Announcements likely to be of interest to the Mac OS X Emacs community are encouraged.
4. Users are encouraged to follow the quoting guidelines at learn to quote. Summary: replace irrelevant material with a < snip >, respond below the text you are responding to, and don't let your email application change the subject.
5. Announcements regarding Mac-software and Mac-ports of multi-platform software are strongly encouraged.

• To subscribe, unsubscribe, or manage your settings, go to the account management page.
• Queries should be sent to Gary L. Gray.

The old site, which focuses predominantly on MacOS 9, is still available here. No plans exist for updating or changing these pages.