Compressing a directory can be done using tar. To tar a directory called DIR, type tar cvf DIR . After a tar file is made, it can then be compressed. To untar a file, type tar xvf filename
These are nice to know for a couple of reasons. First, you can compress old directories that are rarely used, but you don't want to throw them away. Secondly, many files that you can download from the net are compressed or "tar"ed files. A file with a .tar suffix is a tar file and a file with a .gz suffix.
If you recieve a uuencoded message, save the message as a file called filename and type uudecode filename .
Some mail tools will automatically uudecode a picture (netscape), others will allow you to view it (pine).
A word processor is designed to produce a page of text that looks good. Examples are Microsoft Word and Word Perfect. A processor is concerned with the margins and the font and the font size and way that text is wrapped, etc. The output file contains information about all of the appearances of the text on the page and the actual text. The problem is that the files produced from word processors are not portable to different machines.
Generally, a text file is an intermediate step to another program. For example LaTeX, f77, f90, gcc, c++, matlab, netscape, etc. all take text files as inputs. Any language can be written as a text file.
Other reasons for using LaTeX for printing papers:
A more complicated LaTeX file is found here . You will also need this file.
To download the LaTeX version of my Jan 30, 1996 talk
you need the following three files
to compile type latex talk.tex . To view type
xdvi talk.dvi then to print, type
dvips talk.dvi .
My macros file
Here's a LaTeX file
which explain more about the thesis style.
Here's a simple version of a thesis. You need to
download the following files
Again, to compile, type latex main.tex and
the rest is similar to above.
Other LaTeX Help