Decision Guidance ⇒ Package manager

[svenskmand]

I just wanted to know if TeXLive or another platform independent distro has a nice package manager like MiKTeX or is planning to make one.

The Ultimative LaTeX distro would be MiKTeX if it where platform independent

[Stefan Kottwitz]

Hi Svenskmand,

welcome to the board!
The MiKTeX package manager has been ported to unix systems, so you can use it for instance with Linux and Mac OS X, Solaris, FreeBSD, ... not only with Windows.
I'm using TeXlive on Ubuntu Linux 8.04 together with the MiKTeX package manager.

Stefan

[svenskmand]

Yes, i know , but i was thinking about it comming bundlet in the distro e.g. TeXLive and with the nice GUI from MiKTeX, i mean when all linux distros has a package manager then it is wierd that windows is the first (and only, as I know of) to have package manager for the LaTeX packages, but maybe it is just wishful thinking

[JoKo]

Care to explain the package management of MikTex / TexLive 2008? If one latex package is missing, am I able to install it locally, just for myself (e.g. at ~/texmf)? Does the manager handle the updates of the packages, too?

I am currently using Gentoo Linux and Debian Sid, I find their package management system the best, but for TeX there are too many packages to search for...

[Stefan Kottwitz]

Hi,

with the MiKTeX package manager I'm installing to ~/texmf. This way I can go back to the older packages of my texlive distribution if I want. Have a look at the installation description in The MiKTeX Package Manager 2.7 on Ubuntu Linux 8.04, there are also some links to manual page etc.
The mpm assists me very well when I'm providing LaTeX support because it takes just seconds to install new packages or versions.

Stefan