High Noon in TeX town… A brief history of TeX, volume III

Arthur Reutenauer
Paris, France
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People are often confused by the wealth of programs called “TeX” and variations thereof. This is quite understandable: there must be at least a dozen such names and they can have really different natures, from core engines to macro packages to distributions. And a distressed question naturally arises: why are there so many different versions of TeX and what is their use? Is there some kind of rivalry between them? Are we going to have a duel in the main TeX street some day (at High Noon)?

After my historical account last year, I will try to take a snapshot of the current situation by describing the different TeX parties and coalitions, for the benefit of all the citizens of TeX town, old TeX timers and TeX tenderfeet alike.