This is an beta release of GNU ptx, a permuted index generator. GNU ptx can handle multiple input files at once, produce TeX compatible output, or a readable KWIC (keywords in their context) without the need of nroff. This version does not handle huge input files, that is, those which do not fit in memory all at once. The command syntax is not the same as UNIX ptx: all given files are input files, the results are produced on standard output by default. GNU ptx manual is provided in Texinfo format. Calling `ptx --help' prints an option summary. Please note that an overall renaming of all options is foreseeable: GNU ptx specifications are not frozen yet. See the file COPYING for copying conditions. See the file THANKS for a list of contributors. See the file NEWS for a list of major changes in the current release. See the file INSTALL for compilation and installation instructions. Mail suggestions and bug reports (including documentation errors) for these programs to bug-gnu-utils@prep.ai.mit.edu.