Custom LaTeX Report Class

Question

This is my first question and I'm new to LaTeX. I've probably jumped into the deep end here, but I found an interesting class that I want to learn how to use. First of all, I have Tex Live 2011 installed on Ubuntu 11.10.

I found this custom class by a user on Reddit: http://pastebin.com/x2UukDaP

Through the use of that class, he produced the following: http://media.stochastictechnologies.com/files/sample-letterhead.pdf

He graciously uploaded some instructions on how he achieved that result. I have reproduced them here verbatim:

1. Design the thing in InDesign (not required, you can just use Inkscape or anything else that gives you an eps).
2. Get an EPS of all the graphics at the size of the page you need.
3. Use the fancyhdr package to include it in every page.
4. Use the textpos package to position it absolutely in the background at 0,0.
5. Use the textpos package to position the main text area where you want it.
6. Create a macro that will insert a back cover, positioned in the same way as the regular pages.

Further, the author provided the following code to use the class:

\documentclass{stochastic}

\title{Letterhead test}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

\section{Large headline}
\subsection{Small headline}
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin quis justo lorem.
Nulla sit amet tempus sem.

\begin{verbatim}
def lorem(ipsum):
    dolor(sit, amet)
\end{verbatim}

\subsubsection{Δοκιμή}

Ελληνικό κείμενο, για δοκιμή.

\subsubsection{Smaller headline}

Nam aliquet, quam ut fringilla pulvinar, neque

\makelightcover
\makedarkcover
\end{document}

So my question is, given that I'm new to this, (a) which of the packages included in that class are not installed by default (so that I can install them), (b) how do I install his class (or can I just drop it in the same directory as the .tex file?), and (c) is anyone more experienced willing to reproduce the author's PDF result and see whether his instructions work?

I think the result if quite nice, so I want to share this and see if I'm missing something fatal before I get in too deep.

Original source: Ask me, it won't let me post more than two links.

Answer 1

Reading the comments will probably be the most helpful thing to do for others trying to use the same class and stumbling over similar issues but I'll try to aggregate the info in an answer. So installation can be done by putting the package in the same directory as the .tex file or by putting it in the texmf tree. All needed dependencies are in a full install of TeXLive but you need to substitute color by xcolor in the class file.

Answer 2

I wrote that! I tried to get it running on the new laptop the other day, I'll edit this answer when I get home, but, from what I recall, I put the files somewhere in /var in Ubuntu, and ran a latex updater so it would be able to see the new file. I use Gummi as an editor, and I believe I use LuaTex, but I'll tell you exactly how I compile it in a few hours.