[tex-live] So far.....expensive failure

[Denis Bitouzé]

Le samedi 16/02/13 à 10h50,
Reinhard Kotucha <reinhard.kotucha at web.de> a écrit :

> An up-to-date installer is at
> 
>   CTAN/tex-archive/systems/texlive/tlnet/
> 
> You just have to copy the tlnet directory.

With rsync for instance?

> The default behavior of the TeX Live installer is to install the
> files in tlnet/archive/ if this directory is present and perform a
> network installation otherwise.
> 
> This means:
> 
>   1. If you copy the tlnet directory to a local machine, then users
>      have to download and extract tlnet/install-tl.zip on their
>      machines and change the repository so that files are downloaded
>      from your machine rather than from a CTAN mirror.

OK but still has the inconvenient of local network install already
mentioned and needs this "change the repository" step that should be
revert afterwards.

>   2. If you copy the tlnet directory to a USB stick, then users
>      have to move into this directory and call the installer directly.
>      Since the tlnet/archive directory is present, the installer will
>      extract the files therein and no attempt is made to install
>      anything via the network.

Does this need to change afterwards the repository to CTAN mirror for
later updates?

> This works on all systems, though Mac users might prefer MacTeX.
> I don't know much about MacTeX, but if it can be installed from a DVD
> I suppose that it can be installed from a USB stick as well, at least
> if the directory layout is the same as on the DVD.  

Some of my students have succesfully installed MacTeX I provided on an
USB stick.

>  > (I specified a /complete/ installer because I personally prefer the
>  > students to run "install-tl-advanced" than "install-tl", as they
>  > are default options I wouldn't recommend to beginners.)  
> 
> Which options do you have in mind?

As already answered to Lars, I always recommend to run the
install-tl-advanced as an administrator and change the two options:

  1. "Install for all users" from "No" to "Yes".

  2. Install TeXworks (I don't remember the exact label of this
  option). I explain myself: though I am an Emacs user, I know TeXworks
  is very powerful but, IMHO, it is not very helpful for beginners as
  it requires them to know and remember macro and environment names
  (TeXstudio, for instance is easier for beginners). Well I could let
  TeXworks be installed but, often, it becomes the default program
  for .tex files even if another preferred TeX IDE is installed
  afterwards.

Regards.
-- 
Denis