In this document, we shall designate the root TDS directory by `texmf' (for "TeX and METAFONT"). We recommend using that name where possible, but the actual name of the directory is up to the installer. On PC networks, for example, this could map to a logical drive specification such as `T:'.
Similarly, the location of this directory on the system is site-dependent. It may be at the root of the file system; on Unix systems, `/usr/local/share', `/usr/local', `/usr/local/lib', and `/opt' are common choices.
The name `texmf' was chosen for several reasons: it reflects the fact that the directory contains files pertaining to an entire TeX system (including METAFONT, MetaPost, BibTeX, etc.), not just TeX itself; and it is descriptive of a generic installation rather than a particular implementation.
A site may choose to have more than one TDS hierarchy installed (for example, when installing an upgrade). This is perfectly legitimate.
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