[tex-live] reliability of ~/texmf in TeXLive and other distros?

[T T]

2009/12/11 Norbert Preining <preining at logic.at>:
> On Fr, 11 Dez 2009, Manuel Pégourié-Gonnard wrote:
>> installpath = `kpsewhich --var-value TREE`
>
>        --var-value
> is quite new. I would use
>        --expand-var ...some incantation...
> because that makes sure that MikTeX and older TeX Live also can be
> used, AFAIR --var-value is not implemented there.

That is true, however from kpsewhich --help (MiKTeX 2.7):

  -expand-path=PATH              Deprecated.
  -expand-var=VAR                Deprecated.

and I don't get anything for TEXMFHOME nor even SELFAUTOLOC, so
kpsewhich is useful only for TL/tetex in that regard. Anyway, AFAIK
Sage has not been ported to Windows yet, so this point might be moot.

Also, I see that SageTeX is already included in TL, so before
installing it to TEXMFHOME, it might be good to check with 'kpsewhich
sagetex.sty' if it needs installation at all.

Cheers,

Tomek