A Quick and Dirty Guide to LaTeX

LaTeX home

getting the software

In order to use LaTeX, you need two basic things:

1. A TeX distribution, &
2. An editor

The following list is not exhaustive of all the distributions and editors out there. I've just listed one or two - enough to get you started. If this list looks at all erroneous (the information regarding all this stuff was a bit confusing), or you think it needs improvement, please let me know!

unix/linux

• TeX distributions
  • TeTeX
  • TeX Live
• editors
  • Emacs (see also AUCTeX)
  • Vim (see also its Latex-Suite)
  • Winefish (for Gnome)
  • Kile for (KDE)
  • LyX (more of a WYSIWYG editor)

mac os x

• TeX distributions
  • CMacTeX, OzTex, or TeTeX
• editors
  • There are many. I like TeXShop and iTexMac.
  • You may also want to try BBedit.
• all-in-one software packages
• MacTex is a complete TeX system for OSX. It includes the actual TeX program, as well as the following front-end and utilities:
  • TeXShop, a graphical user interface for TeX
  • macro packages, such as LaTeX and ConTeXt
  • additional utilities, such as BibTeX and Makeindex
  • Ghostscript, required by certain TeX utilities
  • BibDesk, an editor for BibTeX databases
  • Excalibur, a spell checker for TeX source code
  • LaTeXiTM, a utility to typeset LaTeX equations and export the resulting PDF by drag and drop
  • i-Installer, a utility to upgrade TeX over the network
  This is a quick and easy way to get LaTeX up and running on your Mac. Highly recommended!
• other software sources
  
  • macos x TeX/LaTeX website (excellent site!)

windows

• TeX distributions
  • MiKTeX
• editors
  • winedt

Also make sure to check out CTAN (the Comprehensive TeX Archive Network): a searchable archive of TeX related software.

other good introductory sources

• TUG (tex users group website)
  
• The Not So Short Introduction to LaTeX2e by Tobias Oetiker (pdf file)
  
• Formatting Information: a beginner's introduction to typesetting with LaTeX by Peter Flynn (HTML or pdf)

for fsu students

There is a page on the FSU website with some TeX information. This page also includes an fsuthesis.cls file that you can use in LaTeX to format your thesis or dissertation.

for philosophers

Check out Peter Smith's LaTeX for Logicians