Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
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Re: Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
#2For the majority of my studies I took notes in Word and it’s equation editor (LaTeX syntax is most of what you need to know for it)
It was great for sharing and searching notes, but definitely challenging.
Once in a while when a diagram was needed it would be really challenging to do (no stylus or touchscreen back then), and when a new math symbol showed up for the first time it would be a challenge.
In other times it could be useful, like if there’s a lot of matrices being written copy and pasting helps.
Overall, it was a good experience since for later math research I needed to know LaTeX well anyhow. But the flexibility of pen and paper can’t be matched.
Re: Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
#3Obviously the author can take these notes and be a mathematical success. That's amazing. Personally, I confess that I don't have enough cycles to both understand a lecture and live-LaTeX it. (Can I add that I am a math PhD and also very experienced with LaTeX? So if you feel that this may be too much for you, IMHO that's OK).
Re: Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
#4When I was in college I submitted printed assignments generated with LaTeX; made it easier for the teacher to grade and I was able to do a fair bit of copy/paste.
Taking notes in real time, however, is a whole different beast.
Re: Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
#5Obviously the author can take these notes and be a mathematical success. That's amazing. Personally, I confess that I don't have enough cycles to both understand a lecture and live-LaTeX it. (Can I add that I am a math PhD and also very experienced with LaTeX? So if you feel that this may be too much for you, IMHO that's OK).
Can you explain a bit about your personal note taking/retention process?
Re: Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
#6For the majority of my studies I took notes in Word and it’s equation editor (LaTeX syntax is most of what you need to know for it) It was great for sharing and searching notes, but definitely challenging. Once in a while when a diagram was needed it would be really challenging to do (no stylus or touchscreen back then), and when a new math symbol showed up for the first time it would be a challenge. In other times i…
I did this back in 2011, though I used OpenOffice (and now I believe it's LibreOffice) at first, its equation editor syntax was a lot like LaTeX. I didn't realize MS Word had a text input option for its equation editor.
Eventually I decided to switch to Vim and LaTeX though (I was pretty new to both). The OP's setup looks much fancier than what I did, I just used pdflatex and mupdf. Diagrams I would draw by hand on paper.
I am grateful to have my notes in a nice clean searchable pdf now 10 years later, but unfortunately my career in software has yet to have me actually do differential equations again.
I have to ask because I miss it so dearly: is there any modern alternative to a 10" netbook like what I had back then? Besides the GPD win that was posted a few days ago. And I don't like the idea of a super expensive tablet with its heavy screen.
What do students take notes on now?
Re: Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
#7For the majority of my studies I took notes in Word and it’s equation editor (LaTeX syntax is most of what you need to know for it) It was great for sharing and searching notes, but definitely challenging. Once in a while when a diagram was needed it would be really challenging to do (no stylus or touchscreen back then), and when a new math symbol showed up for the first time it would be a challenge. In other times i…
I used a Microsoft Surface Pro for a math course. It was great. The pen could be better but you learn to write with it.
Re: Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
#8Obviously the author can take these notes and be a mathematical success. That's amazing. Personally, I confess that I don't have enough cycles to both understand a lecture and live-LaTeX it. (Can I add that I am a math PhD and also very experienced with LaTeX? So if you feel that this may be too much for you, IMHO that's OK).
Can you explain a bit about your personal note taking/retention process?
In my university we can take photos after a topic was explained. The prof told us, that he wants us to understand the topic and ask questions while he was explaining.
Re: Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
#9For the majority of my studies I took notes in Word and it’s equation editor (LaTeX syntax is most of what you need to know for it) It was great for sharing and searching notes, but definitely challenging. Once in a while when a diagram was needed it would be really challenging to do (no stylus or touchscreen back then), and when a new math symbol showed up for the first time it would be a challenge. In other times i…
I did this back in 2011, though I used OpenOffice (and now I believe it's LibreOffice) at first, its equation editor syntax was a lot like LaTeX. I didn't realize MS Word had a text input option for its equation editor. Eventually I decided to switch to Vim and LaTeX though (I was pretty new to both). The OP's setup looks much fancier than what I did, I just used pdflatex and mupdf. Diagrams I would draw by hand on p…
And despite my love of netbooks from that era, part of what had me switch to Vim/LaTeX was my cheap ~$100 netbook not being very quick with large documents in an editor like LibreOffice.
Also a random thought: the netbook had also come with "windows 7 starter edition", which didn't let you change the wallpaper, much to my frustration. They went so far as (I believe) hashing the image, so if you edited it at all then it would show a black screen. [1]
I think that was what got me into Linux, despite years of losing access to wifi every time I updated and lost the Broadcom wifi drivers. My current laptop doesn't even have an ethernet port, I wonder how people get into Linux now.
[1]: The argument of "this laptop is resource constrained so it needs a simpler version of windows" seems weak when they go to such great lengths to enforce it. Maybe it was more about selling it for cheap and expecting some people to upgrade? Imagine paying $60 for windows for a <$150 netbook. (Maybe it was actually $200, I forget)
Re: Taking notes in mathematics lectures using LaTeX and Vim (2019)
#10Obviously the author can take these notes and be a mathematical success. That's amazing. Personally, I confess that I don't have enough cycles to both understand a lecture and live-LaTeX it. (Can I add that I am a math PhD and also very experienced with LaTeX? So if you feel that this may be too much for you, IMHO that's OK).
Can you explain a bit about your personal note taking/retention process?
Forgive me, there is nothing to explain. I bring paper and pencil. Boring.