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From: news@sun.uucp (news)
Newsgroups: comp.text.desktop
Subject: Re: TeX for personal computers
Message-ID: <26136@sun.uucp>
Date: Thu, 20-Aug-87 15:13:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.26136
Posted: Thu Aug 20 15:13:21 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Aug-87 11:42:51 EDT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Infinet, Inc.  North Andover, MA
Lines: 43
Approved: desktop-request%plaid@sun.com

>I am trying to decide on what type of computer to buy, a PC compatible
>or a Mac Plus. Since my interest is to use TeX and LaTeX, I need to
>know of people's experiences with TeX on either PC compatibles or
>the Mac Plus.  Also, what printer drivers are needed and which printers
>do they print out to, or does it not matter, as in producing .dvi files?

I use MicroTeX and LaTeX on a Zenith Z-248 AT clone and I am very
pleased with it.  I routinely exchange files with both VAXen and
Sun's, and so far have found no compatability problems with text
files.  When using PC-NFS my .dvi files transfer OK, but when using
Kermit I cannot transfer binary files.  There are previewers for the
Zenith, but I have never tried them.  I just print drafts (one of the
joys of having your own laser printer).

There are a lot of printer drivers, both commercial and public domain,
and you will need one.  I would be cautious about depending on any dot
matrix printer.  They give a whole new dimension to the word slow.  I
had one (and burned it out).  ``Fast'' was 1-2 minutes per page,
readable was 5-10 minutes per page.  For an ordinary report you
started the printer, went to the movies, had dinner, a leisurely walk
home, and arrived in time to see the last couple pages print while you
had coffee.

Consider one of the cheap laser printers (HP Laserjet II or clone).
They lack Postscript but they are fine for TeX.  I paid only $1900 for
a genuine HP Laserjet II.  I bought my driver from Addison Wesley
rather than take the time to port the UNIX-tape's driver onto MSDOS.

I have not tried the Mac versions.  I made my decision to go PC rather
than Mac for two reasons: 1) I have an almost EMACS for the PC and 2)
the PC based solution with laser printer cost less than the Mac alone.
I miss the Mac graphics, but my drafting table still meets my needs.

				Rob  Horn
	UUCP:	...harvard!adelie!infinet!rhorn
	Snail:	Infinet,  40 High St., North Andover, MA
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