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From: news@sun.uucp (news)
Newsgroups: comp.text.desktop
Subject: Re: TeX for personal computers
Message-ID: <26205@sun.uucp>
Date: Fri, 21-Aug-87 11:51:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.26205
Posted: Fri Aug 21 11:51:16 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Aug-87 04:13:09 EDT
Distribution: comp
Organization: CASE Technology, Mountain View
Lines: 46
Approved: desktop-request%plaid@sun.com

In article <26011@sun.uucp> you write:
>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?

Try an Amiga.  The 500 (about $650, I think) is completely compatible with
the 2000 (about $1600, I think).  For an extra $250, you can add true
PC compability to the 2000 as a co-processor.  There is a very good
version of TeX available for the Amiga for about $300.

>Ideally I want to get the cheapest printer, as I'm only doing this to
>turn in reports to my boss so it doesn't need to be laser printed.
>Besides I can't afford a laser printer!
>A letter-quality dot-matrix printer such as the Epson would do.
>Since my office will likely have a laser printer, I would like
>to produce .dvi files instead of something which is specific to
>a certain printer.

Again, there is support for a wide variety of printers available for
for the Amiga.

>Also how do the previewers work? Do you need extra graphics cards
>for the PC compatibles, how about the Mac Plus? 

For the PC, probably.  Mac Plus, I don't know.  Amiga, no.

With the Amiga, you also get a multi-tasking operating system.  This
means that you can be editing one TeX file, TeX-ifing another, and printing
a third simultaneously.  Memory expandable to 8.5 Meg (without bank-swapping
kludges like the PC).  Graphics, sound, whiz-bang features, etc.  Also
a -very- large supply of public domain software.  (It seems to be an easy
port from un*x :-)
-- 
Internet:	casetek!patl@sun.com		PM Lashley
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>> Anyone can have the facts; having an opinion is an art. <<
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