If you want to use LaTeX under windows, you should use MikTeX, downloadable for free at http://miktex.org/ and WinEdt/Notepad. These are available in many of the suites, go to http://www.nuigalway.ie/administration_services/computer_services/suites/suites.php and do a "suite search" for the software. As at time of writing this page (October 2008), suites with MikTeX are Arts Faculty Arts Millenium Arts Science Bromwich Finnegan McKenna

What follows are local details of how to ``run'' a LaTeX file (think of it as being like compiling a C program) under Linux/Unix:

• set the display as follows
  1. when you log on, open a console or xterm
  2. in the window, type xhost +
  3. type xterm &
• create your LaTeX file (see HANDOUT) using an editor, e.g. vi, emacs. Lets say we call it paper.tex
• type latex paper.tex
• it will appear not to have done anything, but if you look at your files (type ls) you will find a new one called paper.dvi
• the command latex paper.tex may halt with an error. This means your LaTeX code is wrong (like a compilation error in C). CHECK THE HANDOUT ON LATEX or http://www.andy-roberts.net/misc/latex/latextutorial2.html
• assuming you now have the file paper.dvi type in xdvi paper.dvi &
• if you don't like what you see go back to editing your file paper.tex and try again
• print as follows
  1. type dvips -o paper.ps paper.dvi. You now have a postscript file paper.ps. For more info on dvips type man dvips
  2. type lpr paper.ps to send to the printer
  3. type ps2pdf paper.ps paper.pdf to create a pdf file paper.pdf, or man ps2pdf for more info on ps2pdf
• by the way........ it's pronounced like ``lay-tech'' not ``lay - tex'' !!!