This directory is used to store downloaded files that are needed to
build the TeX distribution.  The file "TARFILES" should list all FTP'd
files required for the build.  Files are listed using the standard
"ftp.host:/path/to/file" convention; "CTAN:relative/path" is used to
refer to path relative the root of any full mirror of CTAN.

Full mirrors of CTAN with high FTP bandwidth to MIT, as of 16sep1996:
  ftp.duke.edu:/tex-archive
Other full US mirrors:
  ftp.rge.com:/pub/tex
  sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/packages/TeX
  wuarchive.wustl.edu:/packages/TeX
  ftp.cdrom.com:/pub/tex/ctan

"ctan.pl" is a file which obtains the list of CTAN sites from finger
information for ctan@ftp.tex.ac.uk, selects sites in the USA, and
attempts to measure an average connection time for transfer of the
file "CTAN.sites" from the top level of the CTAN archive.