Re: How hard would this be?(Learning LaTex)
On Sun, Jul 04, 2004 at 01:15:01PM +0100, Jon Dowland wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 23:10:45 +0300, Micha Feigin <michf@post.tau.ac.il> wrote:
> > On Mon, Jun 28, 2004 at 12:07:37PM +0100, Jon Dowland wrote:
> > > On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 23:21:41 -0500, cecil <xeys_00@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Someone told me today at lunch that what with my "wierd obsession", as
> > > > he called it, to perhaps go without a gui(X), I should try "that latex
> > > > thingie". My buddy is a real wordmaster. LOL. I did some reading up on
> > > > it; it's interesting. I never knew that you could do all that with no
> > > > window system. Does anyone here use it on a regular basis, and if so,
> > > > how hard is it to use, setup, print, etc?
> > >
> > > I used it to write up my 3rd year project, and I think it probably
> > > ended up being as useful as writing it in microsoft word (not taking
> > > into account of course the unavailability of word for linux).
> > >
> >
> > Word does have most of the features of latex if you are very careful,
> > use it correctly and _really_ know what you are doing (i.e styles) and
> > still the output always seems to come out looking less professional.
>
> Indeed - you will make fewer catastrophic mistakes with latex and an
> incomplete understanding. Latex by default does look more professional
> than an amateur word document. However I think had I invested the same
> amount of time in word as I did in latex (by the end); I would have
> had a similar experience.
>
> I have read some academic papers where I could not tell which program
> was used to compose them until I inspected the source.
I'd like to see those documents! (Until now) I was always able to make
the distinction between LaTeX and the rest by looking at the equations.
And if there are no equations, you can always look at the font, ;-)
> > Somehow word seems to end nowhere, it supposedly gives you complete
> > control over the graphics appearance (as a knowledgeable typesetter
> > would need) but it keeps trying to do what it wants instead of what you
> > want assuming that it knows better what you want it to do.
>
> I think its a matter of learning how to control it. Which, given an
> investment of time, I would have had.
>
> > Latex doesn't give you full control directly (unless you know tex and
> > aren't scared to dirty your hands)
>
> When I eventually tried to play with the styling, it was a horrible nightmare.
Indeed. LaTeX 3 seems to be the solution. Not soon though, if ever.
> > Word is good for writing short notes with a little more control then
> > latex and less head ache then tex, but will generally take you more
> > time and effort for anything serious then latex will and still look
> > worse.
David
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