[tex-live] Deployment of TL 2018 (on multiple computers): release or updated?

[Denis Bitouzé]

Le 09/05/18 à 22h29, Norbert Preining a écrit :

> Hi Denis,

Hi Norbert,

> others have answered already, but I had the feeling that your
> *original* question was not answered:
>
>> Is it nevertheless safe to install the release or is it safer to
>> install TL at its current state?
>
> I would suggest to wait even a bit more until binary updates are out.
> Due to the late update of the LaTeX kernel just before the freeze, some
> packages couldn't get the updates into TL for the DVD version, in
> particular csquote. Several of them have been fixed in the meantime.

OK, good to know!

> Up to now you could use today's tlnet, and it would be definitely
> better than what is in the release .iso image.

OK but, in order to save bandwith, I still continue to massively make
use of the `.iso' file: I downloaded it once and, for the (numerous)
LaTeX courses I'm giving, I am providing it (on USB sticks) to each
student who can install TL without downloading everything.

> But there are also several bugs in the binaries, most particular lost
> ligature mappings in pdfs, so that text is not found anymore. And
> crashes with certain png types.

Argh!

> We are preparing updates to the binaries just now, i386-linux and
> x86_64-linux I updated today, win32 was updated by Akira already,
> other binaries will hopefully follow. 
>
> I strongly suggest:
> * wait until the TL binaries for the archs you need are updated

I'm waiting for your go sign! :)

> * give it a test
> * then use that state
> instead of the iso.

I guess I could at that time build an `.iso' file with the content of
the `Master' directory of the TL.

>> I know each snapshot of TL may content some critical bug but I ask the
>> question because it would be tedious to update TL on each computer
>> afterwards.
>
> This can be done in the way Zdenek suggested. I have done this back then
> in my old department with a variety of mac and unix computers, just one
> master installation and all others just nfs mount.

Nice!

But, when I answered Zdenek, I forgot that years ago (at least 10 years
ago), I used to try this method but the compilation time was
dramatically slow. Maybe both software and hardware are better for
handling this nowadays.

Best.
-- 
Denis