Why to join a TeX users group

As I wanted to write a post about benefits of joining the TeX Users Group, I did a routine check. So I found Greg’s post and Jim’s answer on – click the link to get the full view.

I was surprised to see only 12 upvotes and just 362 page views. That’s all by StackExchange?

tug-question

So I added a bounty, to get it on the “featured” tab. Who will get those 500 points? I decided to award them to the next one who becomes a new TUG member. She or he just needs to add an answer there so I can put the bounty there.

Just one day left, the bounty ends tomorrow, on Monday.

bountyBut the most important – Jim’s answer follows.

A summary of the general aims of TUG:

  1. To encourage and expand the use of TeX, LaTeX, Metafont and related
    systems.

  2. To ensure the integrity and portability of TeX, LaTeX, Metafont and
    related systems.

  3. To foster innovation in high-quality electronic document preparation.

The most important reason to join TUG is to support these goals.

Members receive:

  • A one year subscription to the journal TUGboat

  • TeX Collection software: ready-to-run TeX systems including TeX Live for all major platforms and many Unix architectures, MacTeX for MacOSX (based on TeX Live), proTeXt for Windows (based on MiKTeX), and a CTAN snapshot (available in the member area).

  • Discounts:  TUG is a tax-exempt charitable organization in the United States so donations and some membership dues are tax deductible, there are also discounted conference fees, discounted membership rates for students, seniors, and citizens of countries with modest economies, discounted membership rates for institutional members that may name up to eight individual members, discounts on the purchase of Lucida fonts and other items from the TUG store, discounts on books from many publishers (and bookplates), and discounts on WinEdt registration.

  • Reciprocal membership arrangements are currently available with many other user groups

Members also support:

  • TUG’s annual conference and other sponsored conferences

  • The TeX Development Fund: created in 2003 to aid growth of TeX-related technical projects

  • The
    TUG Bursary Fund for financial assistance for attending TUG conferences

  • Mailing lists on a variety of TeXnical subjects

(This is an edited version of the TUG home page; see there for more.)

 

 

Leave a Reply