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The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

danielallington.net

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Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#111

Post by TrickyRick »

Derbasti wrote: post #62
taeric wrote: post #12

I had a few things about TeX versus LaTeX. I think the reality is nobody really tries writing TeX. But, ultimately my beef is the straw man that markup is bad because it is harder to read. That a graphical editor is superior because it is more readable. Instead, the advantage is that in the one you are only writing text and you are indicating special instructions to the computer. In the other, you only see what the c…

Also, he implies that LaTeX documents are always typeset in Computer Modern and the plain article template (which is ugly!). XeTeX can use all the same TTF/OTF fonts Word uses. Oh, and let's not forget that Word's math renderer is gross.

https://www.chachatelier.fr/latexit/ is a solution to that. Write your math in Latex > export as image. I always use that whenever I have to display math in something which doesn't support Latex.

Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#112

Post by majewsky »

TrickyRick wrote: post #111
Derbasti wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, he implies that LaTeX documents are always typeset in Computer Modern and the plain article template (which is ugly!). XeTeX can use all the same TTF/OTF fonts Word uses. Oh, and let's not forget that Word's math renderer is gross.

https://www.chachatelier.fr/latexit/ is a solution to that. Write your math in Latex > export as image. I always use that whenever I have to display math in something which doesn't support Latex.

That may work if you have a few formulas. A typical thesis may have hundreds, if not thousands, formulas.

Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#113

Post by majewsky »

eesmith wrote: post #77
Derbasti wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, he implies that LaTeX documents are always typeset in Computer Modern and the plain article template (which is ugly!). XeTeX can use all the same TTF/OTF fonts Word uses. Oh, and let's not forget that Word's math renderer is gross.

He does not imply they are "always typeset in Computer Modern". The relevant quote is "everything is (typically) printed in this weird, old-fashioned-looking typeface called Computer Modern." The "(typically)" implies that there are cases where the result is not in Computer Modern. On the same topic, "if you want to do anything really wild and crazy – like using a typeface other than Computer Modern – then plain vani…

> The relevant quote is "everything is (typically) printed in this weird, old-fashioned-looking typeface called Computer Modern." The "(typically)" implies that there are cases where the result is not in Computer Modern.

In school, I was told that you should only put stuff in parentheses that is not strictly required to understand the statement. Without them, we're left with "Everything is printed in [...] Computer Modern". The first word sets the tone in a (IMO) manipulative way.

Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#114

Post by majewsky »

I disagree with the premise.

A few years ago, my brothers were simultaneously writng their Masters theses (in civil engineering, where LaTeX is not exactly common).

One of them decided to plunge into LaTeX. It took him a week or so to get productive, but once everything was set up, it "just worked" and he could focus on his thesis.

The other one decided to stick to the conventional choice, Microsoft Word. He started writing immediately because Word is what he's familiar with, but when the deadline neared, he descended into near-madness as he fought Word's hobby of breaking the entire layout whenever a new character is inserted.

In the end, you're always going to have to invest some amount of time for the typesetting of a thesis or paper. But LaTeX has the advantage of letting you plan when to pay that cost. (Up to a certain point, of course. The final layout is "final" for a reason.)

Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#115

Post by moomin »

Ar-Curunir wrote: post #97
peterburkimsher wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> work with multiple people or track the history of a document I often proofread for my friends. I tell them that they must use Track Changes in Word. Is there a better tool that you recommend?

LaTeX + git

It would be interesting if someone could write a program that could diff two LaTeX documents and produce a change-tracked version showing insertions and deletions.

I think it's doable, but it's a serious project.

Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#116

Post by Derbasti »

gaius wrote: post #91
Derbasti wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, he implies that LaTeX documents are always typeset in Computer Modern and the plain article template (which is ugly!). XeTeX can use all the same TTF/OTF fonts Word uses. Oh, and let's not forget that Word's math renderer is gross.

You can use LaTeX in Word directly now https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Linear-format-equat...

You can use the syntax. It still renders using Word's hideous math renderer.

Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#117

Post by Derbasti »

TrickyRick wrote: post #111
Derbasti wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, he implies that LaTeX documents are always typeset in Computer Modern and the plain article template (which is ugly!). XeTeX can use all the same TTF/OTF fonts Word uses. Oh, and let's not forget that Word's math renderer is gross.

https://www.chachatelier.fr/latexit/ is a solution to that. Write your math in Latex > export as image. I always use that whenever I have to display math in something which doesn't support Latex.

Can Word import PDF? How would I keep editable copies of the Math code?

I use a similar workflow for PowerPoint slides, where I have dozens of files with a minimal LaTeX template that render math fragments to tiny PDF files, which I can then include in the PowerPoint slides. It's a huge pain. (But less painful than LaTeX beamer).

Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#118

Post by jabl »

jcelerier wrote: post #108
dmitriid wrote: post #103

LaTeX is only good for one thing, and one thing only: create same-looking two-column PDFs for research/scholarly publications. And it's barely good at that. Things may have changed slightly since I last used it (cca 2008), but: combining several languages in one document (Turkish + Russian, anyone?), tables that properly span several pages, inline images, a different layout (that doesn't break languages, or tables, o…

> combining several languages in one document (Turkish + Russian what's the problem with this ? just encode as UTF-8 and type however you like.

The hyphenation algorithm, I guess, needs some knowledge of the language. Probably a lot more issues as well.

Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#119

Post by TrickyRick »

majewsky wrote: post #112
TrickyRick wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.chachatelier.fr/latexit/ is a solution to that. Write your math in Latex > export as image. I always use that whenever I have to display math in something which doesn't support Latex.

That may work if you have a few formulas. A typical thesis may have hundreds, if not thousands, formulas.

Oh, I'm not saying it's a good option for a thesis, I would use LaTeX for that, I'm saying it's a good option if you have a few formulas and you have to use Word for whatever reason.

Re: The LaTeX Fetish (2016)

#120

Post by TrickyRick »

Derbasti wrote: post #117
TrickyRick wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.chachatelier.fr/latexit/ is a solution to that. Write your math in Latex > export as image. I always use that whenever I have to display math in something which doesn't support Latex.

Can Word import PDF? How would I keep editable copies of the Math code? I use a similar workflow for PowerPoint slides, where I have dozens of files with a minimal LaTeX template that render math fragments to tiny PDF files, which I can then include in the PowerPoint slides. It's a huge pain. (But less painful than LaTeX beamer).

It can generate PNG as well. I'm not saying it's a replacement for LaTeX, I'm saying it's a good option in the cases where you have a few pieced of math text which you have to input in a Word doc.
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