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As a member of TUG, the TeX Users Group, I recently received an email about a new membership drive in hopes of reversing the trend of a slowly declining membership. I know one can learn more about TUG on their website and can read the membership form online. I also know that I enjoy reading TUGBoat, the journal that TUG produces as it contains interesting articles about things one can do with TeX as well as articles about typesetting and fonts.

What are the other benefits of joining TUG? (That's my official question; this post is really a not-so-shameless attempt at bringing awareness to TUG in hopes of increasing its membership. Frequent users of this site should be interested in joining.)

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    I assume you know that the TUG website already lists benefits of membership?
    – Joseph Wright ♦
    Commented Dec 12, 2014 at 15:55
  • Yes. I only posted this question to bring awareness to TUG. I've been a member for a number of years and am really glad I am. If the addition of more members ensures TeXLive & TUGBoat are going strong and perhaps promotes the development of LaTeX3, etc., then I'm glad to do my little part in creating interest in membership.
    – GregH
    Commented Dec 12, 2014 at 16:04
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    i've met a lot of very smart and very interesting people, from all over the world, many of whom have become good friends. while my reason for joining tug isn't typical, i think this part does carry over. (and this is a benefit not listed on the website.)
    – barbara beeton
    Commented Dec 12, 2014 at 16:20
  • I find myself hesitating at giving my credit card information to a page that looks like it was made in the 90s. I mean it is clean and neat but it just feels like the way web sites were made in the 90s and I can't help but wonder if the security is from the 90s as well :(
    – jonalv
    Commented Feb 1, 2018 at 15:53
  • My +500 bounty offer can be considered as permanent and repeatable: twitter.com/TeXgallery/status/948936775367569415
    – Stefan Kottwitz ♦
    Commented Feb 3, 2018 at 15:34

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A summary of the general aims of TUG:

  1. To encourage and expand the use of TeX, LaTeX, Metafont and related systems.

  2. To ensure the integrity and portability of TeX, LaTeX, Metafont and related systems.

  3. To foster innovation in high-quality electronic document preparation.

The most important reason to join TUG is to support these goals.

Members receive:

  • A one year subscription to the journal TUGboat

  • TeX Collection software: ready-to-run TeX systems including TeX Live for all major platforms and many Unix architectures, MacTeX for MacOSX (based on TeX Live), proTeXt for Windows (based on MiKTeX), and a CTAN snapshot (available in the member area).

  • Discounts: TUG is a tax-exempt charitable organization in the United States so donations and some membership dues are tax deductible, there are also discounted conference fees, discounted membership rates for students, seniors, and citizens of countries with modest economies, discounted membership rates for institutional members that may name up to eight individual members, discounts on the purchase of Lucida fonts and other items from the TUG store, discounts on books from many publishers (and bookplates), and discounts on WinEdt registration.

  • Reciprocal membership arrangements are currently available with many other user groups

Members also support:

  • TUG's annual conference and other sponsored conferences

  • The TeX Development Fund: created in 2003 to aid growth of TeX-related technical projects

  • The TUG Bursary Fund for financial assistance for attending TUG conferences

  • Mailing lists on a variety of TeXnical subjects

(This is an edited version of the TUG home page; see there for more.)

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At the risk of repeating what's already been written (and to give this important thread a bump)...

...the major benefit of TUG membership for me is reading TUGBoat, in print, when I'm looking for a break from my day job. I also appreciate the discount on Lucida Bright fonts. And I want to support the ongoing development of TeX Live and MacTeX, which are essential to things that I do.

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