(tds.info)The role of the TDS

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1.2 The role of the TDS
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The role of the TDS is to stabilize the organization of TeX-related
software packages that are installed and in use, possibly on multiple
platforms simultaneously.

   At first glance, it may seem that the Comprehensive TeX Archive
Network (CTAN) fulfills at least part of this role, but this is not the
case.  The role of CTAN is to simplify archiving and distribution, not
installation and use.

   In fact, the roles of the TDS and CTAN are frequently in conflict,
as we will see.  For distribution, many different types of files must
be combined into a single unit; for use, it is traditional to segregate
files (even similar files) from a single package into separate,
occasionally distant, directories.