Subject: Re: Investigating current preview problem

From: David Kastrup <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 06 Oct 2021 13:03:15 +0200

Hugo Raguet <[email-masked]> writes:

> Dear David Kastrup
>
> I have encountered a problem involving the latex package preview. If I
> understand well it is due to "a change in the latex shipout routine"
> in the last versions. I read the threads on the GNU bug reports 44578
> and 45894 about the problem. It appears you are the current maintainer
> of preview, but unfortunately do not currently have the ressources to
> take care this problem.
>
> I am unable to do it myself, but there were some mention of maybe
> paying for your expertise. Would you be willing to estimate a cost at
> which you could take proper care of the problem, or maybe point me to
> other people with enough knowledge to do it?

Reading reports, analysing and understanding problem: €50
Reading up on the tools LaTeX now wants instead:      €30
Devising and implementing a fix                       €30
Backward compatibility                                €10
Cleaning up and shepherding through AUCTeX repository €25
Submitting and shepherding through CTAN               €25
Dealing with problem reports and feedback             €25

Total: €195

Everybody will tell you that this is a total ripoff (the actual code
will likely not be more than a dozen lines) and nobody will volunteer to
do it for that price, judging from experience.  I spent years on
creating preview-latex and got probably about double that amount in
return.

You'll find people with the necessary skills easily on TeX/LaTeX forums
and mailing lists, and maybe the outrage at my insolent demands will
help motivate someone to earn a few Karma points.  Just don't expect too
much regarding the followup work.

Good luck!

-- 
David Kastrup