\centerline{\bf Mac\TeX\  --- a mathematician's view}
\medskip\noindent
There are two versions of \TeX\  that are available for use on the Macintosh,
namely \TeXtures\ (from Addison-Wesley) and Mac\TeX\  (from {\sl FTL systems 
Inc} of Toronto).  Of the two, Mac\TeX\  is the more sophisticated.  I have
been using it for more than a year now and have found it a joy to work with.  
It costs  \quid595 (plus {\sc vat}), but educational discounts
are available (probably about 15\%). Included
in the package are {\sc initex} and  \LaTeX\ , as well as useful 
on-line help 
files for control sequences, with page references to the \TeX book. Optional
extras include \AmSTeX\
and the Computer Modern Fonts.  The User Guide is both comprehensive and
clear.  Currently available is Version 2.  The basic package comes on four
800K disks, and it is recommended 
that it be installed on a hard disc.

Users of \TeX\  (on no matter which computer) will be aware that a considerable
amount of correcting and adjusting is always needed in processing every
job, be it because of input errors, overfull boxes, or page layout.  It
is therefore essential to have
a system that is reasonably fast and user-friendly.  Such is Mac\TeX.
 As one would expect, it has embedded in it full word-processing facilities
so that 
corrections to input material are easy to make.  The editor also allows
you to choose your
favourite screen font in which to type your input material.  Each input
file has to be named in the form |XYZ.tex| and, 
following selection of the format (Plain,  \LaTeX, or your own), 
is typeset on a simple menu command.  The speed
of operation   depends on your Mac and
what kind of copy you are setting: for average mathematical input, on a
Macintosh II the  
{\tt .dvi}  file is created at a rate of about one page every six seconds,
which is of 
the order of four times faster than on a MacPlus.  When one has a lot of
material to process
and re-process, this can be a significant difference.  Very complicated
pages, for example those containing complex diagrams created with 
\LaTeX, can take considerably longer.  

In bearing in mind the needs of the users, the designers of Mac\TeX\  have
included several features that are noteworthy.  Not least of these is the
possibility of including user-defined macros.  Of course, every user of
\TeX\  will be aware that he can
use, for example, the command  |\def\1|
to create a macro for which he may have
a lot of use in a particular document, for instance the  instruction  
|\smallskip\par\noindent|.
 In Mac\TeX\  there is the option of doing the same by defining (in a
pull-down menu)   |<command>1| to be  
|\smallskip\par\noindent|.
 The  main difference between these two methods is that in the former only
 |\1| appears as input on the screen whereas in the latter
the whole of 
|\smallskip\par\noindent|
appears. This can be very useful if, like me, you use such things as  
|\vartheta|  a lot, want to see it on the screen as such,
and are not always successful in typing it! 

A very impressive feature of Mac\TeX\ is the clever way in which one can
include graphics from a variety of sources; for example, Super\-Paint files
(saved as paint files), MacDraw files (saved as {\sc pict} files), and Adobe 
Illustrator files (saved as {\sc epsf}
files).  This can be  done by storing the graphic in the Scrapbook then,
as appropriate, using the command 
 |\special{!pict n}| followed by a |\vskip|  
 command, or the command  
|\special{!epsf <filename>}|.             
 On previewing a {\tt .dvi} file with an included graphic, the blank area
that is left by the |\vskip| command has a grey area in it.
Any picture from the Scrapbook can be simply pasted into this area.  Once
this has been done, it can be resized and positioned anywhere on the page!


Previewing  {\tt .dvi}  files can be done at normal size, at 2 times or
4 times 
magnification, or at full page.  If the standard 10\,pt size type is used
then normal screen size, 
though readable, is not impressive where 
subscripts are concerned.  Better screen characters at 10\,pt or a normal
 screen image at 12\,pt would be much more
useful to a mathematician.  Up to four pages can be previewed simultaneously.
Graphics included as above can be resized or repositioned in any of these
magnifications.
  With each  {\tt .dvi} file there can be activated a  {\tt .log} file which
gives   useful error information. 
 A nice feature when typesetting is that if an error message appears then
on  activating the Edit command in the menu bar one is taken to the precise
line  in the input file where the error occurs.  
Among other choices in the menu  bar is a Help command.


As for printing, two outlets are available,  one to the ImageWriter and
one to the LaserWriter.  For the latter, Mac\TeX\ has 
its own built-in high speed
spooler and all the necessary fonts are downloaded automatically.  If you
share a LaserWriter with
other types of user then it may be necessary to switch it off then on again
before printing (this is probably to get rid of the stuff that
{\it PageMaker} leaves behind).

Mac\TeX\ is a sophisticated package that contains a lot of useful and
 impressive features.  As with the Mac itself, in using it one soon gains
a  feeling of deep satisfaction. Mac\TeX\ is distributed in the UK by
{\obeylines
McQueen
Buckholm
Galashiels TD1 3NL
tel: 0896 4866
}

\rightline{\sl Tom Blyth}
