[texhax] Migrating from Windows to Mac

[Tom Backer Johnsen]

Barbara Beeton wrote:
> tom backer johnsen replying to tom schneider:
>
>     Thank you for the information.  The command you recommended worked, or at
>     least without yielding an error message.  However, I had the same error
>     message as before:
>
> here's the problem:
>     
>     This is pdfTex, Version 3 ...
>
> what you want to see there is pdfLaTeX
>
>     entering extended mode
>     (.second.tex
>     ! Undefined control sequence.
>     1.5 \documentclass
>        [10pt,a4paper]{article}
>
>     So, assuming that your command worked, it cannot be the line endings.
>
> the line endings probably needed to be
> changed anyhow, but the real problem is
> that you are using *plain* tex, not latex.
> i can't tell you how to launch latex, but
> there should be some documentation that
> will point you in the right direction.
> 						-- bb
>   
Dear me.  Others have suggested that, but I had difficulties in 
believing that.  Why should one not want to use LaTeX?  I have made the 
assumption that when some Tex editor is downloaded (like TexShop), it 
would install Latex and use by default.  As a matter of course.  At 
least, that is the case for any of the Windows editors I have tried and 
used for several years, like WinEdt and TeXnicCenter.  Nevertheless it 
is obvious that you are right.

But at least I have come one step further.  I have tried TextMate, ands 
at least that one lets me beyond the first line.  Evidently it does not 
install packages on the fly, but at least that is one less serious 
problem than I have had with TexShop and the like.

Thanks for the assistance. Apart from having owned an Apple IIe in the 
early eighties, I am in my second week of learning how to use a Mac.  It 
is obvious that there is a lot to learn and unlearn.

Tom