Hi Esther, An excellent summary (as always). One thing I'd add though is that the way LaTeX handles things like figures and tables can be an issue for those who are both new to this marvellous typesetting system, and also those of us who have been using it for eons.
LaTeX uses a sophisticated algorithm to place tables and figures in your document. The generic term that is used is "float". The algorithm estimates space remaining on the page, and determines where the thing will fit. My advice is that if your book, paper, article (etc) requires the use of such things, always get someone sighted to look at the end product as one can never be entirely certain where the tables or figures will end up in the finished document. For anyone who might find them useful, I include some links here that I have found over the years. I have many more, but these will do to get people started. 1. http://www.andy-roberts.net/misc/latex/index.html (a nice tutorial) 2. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/LaTeX/Title_Creation (a wiki-book on the topic of LaTeX) 3. www.onlinefreeebooks.net/...ebooks.../a-beginners-guide-to-latex-pdf.html (A free e-book on LaTeX) Hope this helps, Dónal . -----Original Message----- From: Esther [mailto:mori...@mac.com] Sent: 04 December 2009 18:34 To: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com Subject: Re: LaTEX Hi Ryan, Ryan Mann wrote: > I don't understand. Why can't you just type something like 4x=20 into > a word document? That is, unless this isn't what you mean by an > equation. > The answer is that most professional mathematicians, physicists, or (in some disciplines) engineers have to use equations that have special symbols for integral signs, limits, series expansions, Greek letters, etc. and that these can be embedded several levels deep in both numerator and denominator. These expressions are a nightmare to enter properly into a word document with correct placement. The original TeX programming language was developed by the computer scientist, Donald Knuth, as a way of getting around the extremely high price of publishing mathematical textbooks due to its special type- setting needs and also to get around the often poor final production results. In developing TeX Knuth studied typeface design and devised algorithms for optimal placement, spacing, and justification of text for any given font type. In most word-processing packages (including Word documents), not only is it nearly impossible to correctly generate some complex equations, but once you have managed to do so the results are even harder to correctly insert within the document. Usually, sighted users have to try, look at the incorrect results, and then figure out some way to fudge up the correct placement and spacing. TeX will correctly compute, place, and even break up multi-line equations automatically. It will also, incidentally, handle optimal spacing, alignment, etc. for all regular (i.e., not technical) documents, so you can publish entire books originally produced in TeX. In the physical sciences, many professional journals use TeX as the default submission format, since it is freely available and works cross-platform. At what was originally the Los Alamos preprint site (and what has now become ArXiv, with several sites across the world) for the electronic distribution of scientific work by physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, and others, well over 99 per cent of the submissions are in TeX format -- even for papers without equations. The fact that TeX does an excellent job in outputting all international languages including those that do not use alphabetic characters also adds to its popularity. The main drawback is that it has a steep initial learning curve, and is probably overkill for what most people need to do in word processing. However, it is extremely convenient to be able to change the entire layout of your paper simply by changing a one-word argument for the style file you are using. (And by change, I mean formatting far beyond what Word supports --- not just line spacing and fonts, but how sections and sub-sections are numbered and formatted, their indentations conventions, etc. Or in bibliography mode, whether the entries are listed in the order they are cited or alphabetically, and with which citation style.) HTH. Dónal or Nicolai might want to add comments. Cheers, Esther > On Dec 4, 2009, at 7:31 AM, Donal Fitzpatrick wrote: > >> No bother Nick. Have to say that I wholeheartedly approve of that >> requirement... If you've never tried to insert equations into a word >> doc, be very grateful. That kind of experience should be reserved >> for the truly masochistic. *smile* >> >> Cheers >> >> Donal >> On 4 Dec 2009, at 12:11, Nicolai Svendsen wrote: >> >>> Hi Donal, >>> >>> I definitely will. Thanks a lot for the tips, and great someone >>> knows about this. It's a requirement in my country for mathematical >>> studies. I'll definitely throw some questions your way. >>> >>> Regards, >>> Nic >>> Skype: Kvalme >>> MSN Messenger: nico...@home3.gvdnet.dk >>> AIM: cincinster >>> yahoo Messenger: cin368 >>> Facebook Profile >>> My Twitter >>> >>> On Dec 4, 2009, at 1:09 PM, Nicolai Svendsen wrote: >>> >>>> Yep I find TeXshop fine. I use it to prepare academic papers and >>>> lectures. Another useful utility by the way is the BibDesc one. >>>> It's a very very useful tool for organising bibliographies. >>>> >>>> As you're learning LaTeX, feel free to contact me off list if any >>>> questions arise. >>>> >>>> Cheers >>>> >>>> Donal >>>> On 4 Dec 2009, at 12:02, Nicolai Svendsen wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi, >>>>> >>>>> Hmm. Yeah, I heard of TeXShop. I've always spelt it LaTEX, with L >>>>> capitalized, including TEX but not the a. It didn't seem to matter >>>>> much how I w typed it, though. But thanks for the recommendation. >>>>> I assume TeXShop is accessible, then. >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> Nic >>>>> Skype: Kvalme >>>>> MSN Messenger: nico...@home3.gvdnet.dk >>>>> AIM: cincinster >>>>> yahoo Messenger: cin368 >>>>> Facebook Profile >>>>> My Twitter >>>>> >>>>> On Dec 4, 2009, at 12:58 PM, Donal Fitzpatrick wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Hi Nick, >>>>>> >>>>>> I use TeXShop. By the way, know what you mean about the dangers >>>>>> of googling this... To improve your hits, spell it "L Aa T e X" >>>>>> (that is, the L, T and X capitalised). >>>>>> >>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>> >>>>>> Donal >>>>>> On 4 Dec 2009, at 11:54, Nicolai Svendsen wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi guys, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I'm currently learning LaTEX, and I've been looking for a >>>>>>> Macintosh interpreter. Can anyone help with this? Google >>>>>>> interestingly leads me to Latex rubber and fetish sites. It's >>>>>>> kind of creepy. I figured I'd just stop Googling. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Regards, >>>>>>> Nic >>>>>>> Skype: Kvalme >>>>>>> MSN Messenger: nico...@home3.gvdnet.dk >>>>>>> AIM: cincinster >>>>>>> yahoo Messenger: cin368 >>>>>>> Facebook Profile >>>>>>> My Twitter >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> >>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the >>>>>>> Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to >>>>>>> macvisionaries@googlegroups.com . >>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com >>>>>>> . >>>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en >>>>>>> . >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the >>>>>> Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>> To post to this group, send email to >>>>>> macvisionaries@googlegroups.com . >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com >>>>>> . >>>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en >>>>>> . >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>> To post to this group, send email to >>>>> macvisionaries@googlegroups.com . >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com >>>>> . >>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en >>>>> . >>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>> To post to this group, send email to >>>> macvisionaries@googlegroups.com . >>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com >>>> . >>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en >>>> . >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to >>> macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com >>> . >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en >>> . >> >> -- >> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >> To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com >> . >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en >> . >> >> > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en > . > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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