Good packages from packages intro 

[`+`]packages intro 

http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/

My pick 

Graphics and Colour 

A very common requirement is to include some kind of graphics as an external file (usually PostScript) into a LaTeX document. The definitive manual on how to do this is Keith Reckdahl's excellent

Using EPS graphics in LaTeX2e. The document []Packages in the
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/graphics/epslatex.ps
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/graphics/grfguide.ps
   graphics bundle  is the documentation on the recommended LaTeX2e
   graphics package, which includes information on how to use colours
   in the output.

LaTeX Packages 

These packages control the visual appearance and formatting of LaTeX documents. Many of them are described in the book []The LaTeX http://cseng.awl.com/bookdetail.qry?ISBN=0-201-54199-8&ptype=0 Companion and they are grouped here in accordance with the headings defined there.

Formatting Tools 

moreverb
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/styles/moreverb.dvi
          An extension to the verbatim package that can handle TAB
          expansion, can number lines in an included file, can produce
          boxed verbatims, etc.

indentfirst
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/tools/indentfirst.dvi
          Indent first paragraph after section header.

MDW tools
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/mdwtools/README
          A collection of packages written by Mark Wooding

at.sty
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/mdwtools/at.dvi
                Allows you to use `@' as a sort of
                `command-introducing'
 character, a bit like `
' is
                already.

cmtt.sty
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/mdwtools/cmtt.dvi
                Provides an `mTT' encoding for the Computer Modern
                Typewriter font, which solves lots of messy problems.

mathenv.sty
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/mdwtools/mdwtab.dvi
                A collection of mathematical environments with a theme
                of aligning things in columns.

mdwmath.sty
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/mdwtools/mdwmath.dvi
                Contains a few trivial definitions for mathematical
                things. The main thing is that the \sqrt command for
                doing square roots has been improved

mdwlist.sty
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/mdwtools/mdwlist.dvi
                Various list related environments. There's a more
                versatile `description' environment, and some stuff for
                making `compacted' lists (with no extra space between
                items).

mdwtab.sty
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/mdwtools/mdwtab.dvi
                A complete ground-up rewrite of LaTeX's `tabular' and
                `array' environments. Has lots of advantages over the
                standard version, and over the version in `array.sty'.

footnote.sty
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/mdwtools/footnote.dvi
                Provides commands for saving executing footnotes.

Page Layout 

geometry
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/geometry/geometry.dvi
          Customize page layout (page sizes) using an easy and flexible
          user interface. Example []gtest.tex generates a testpage.
           http://www.tug.org/cgi-bin/dirarchive/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/geometry/test.tgz

fancyhdr
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/fancyhdr/fancyhdr.dvi
          Support for sophisticated control of page headers and footers
          in LaTeX2e. It supercedes fancyheadings.

rotating
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/rotating/rotating.dvi
          Environment to rotate text, figures etc. There are examples,

Additional or alternative "document" types 

seminar
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/seminar/sem-user.dvi
          A LaTeX style for overhead transparencies and notes.
          Examples included

textmerg
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/textmerg/textmerg.dvi
          Package for creating "text merges" (like wordprocessor mail
          merge letters) in LaTeX. The directory []latex/textmerg
 http://rphibm1.uni-regensburg.de/cluster/software/tex/doc/latex/textmerg/
          contains examples.

documented on: 2000.11.12