In 2003, I evaluated several solutions for an academic word processing environment--e.g., word processor and a
bibliography manager. I seriously considered Lyx, but ended up using MS Word and Endnote.
I have now come full circle and am again looking at Lyx in combination with JabRef. In my assessment, the biggest
weakness of Lyx and Latex is problems with supporting different bibliography and citation styles. In my field (historic
preservation), which is quite multidisciplinary, I may be called on to conform to hundreds of different
bibliography/citation styles for which there is no relevant bibtex style file.
Moreover, most of my field's journals require formatting in the Chicago A/Turabian-like style with citations as endnotes
or footnotes. To properly adhere to this style, there is a need for shortened forms of subsequent citations and/or the
use of "ibid" for repeated citations, none of which are supported by any Bibtex style file. Bibliography managers like
EndNote do support this complexity.
Right now, I am aware of only three options:
1. Write the paper using a bibliography/citation format different from what a particular journal requires, convert the
latex file to RTF/Open Office/Word and then manually reformat the citations.
2. Manually enter the citations into Lyx.
3. Learn how to write Bibtex style files.
In reality, I don't like any of these.
Solutions?
-Jeremy
