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I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

fransskarman.com

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Re: I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

#11

Post by BiteCode_dev »

Pro tips: type long content unformatted, or barely formatted, then ask an LLM to format it using your markup of choice, then clean up the thing it got wrong.

They are very decent at inferring the context of stuff and will mark code, maths, titles so on farely decently. This lets you focus on the work of making it looks nice.

Re: I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

#13

Post by RestartKernel »

BiteCode_dev wrote: post #11

Pro tips: type long content unformatted, or barely formatted, then ask an LLM to format it using your markup of choice, then clean up the thing it got wrong. They are very decent at inferring the context of stuff and will mark code, maths, titles so on farely decently. This lets you focus on the work of making it looks nice.

I'm always worried about LLMs unintentionally affecting the actual content, so the extra effort of carefully reviewing the diff just isn't worth it. Markdown + PanDoc is more sensible to me if your document is simple enough.

Re: I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

#14

Post by andrepd »

nomel wrote: post #8
TimorousBestie wrote: post #6

I’m gradually moving my work over to Typst and it’s been a breath of fresh air. Compiles very quickly. Perhaps the hardest part has been relearning the syntax for math notation; Typst has some interesting opinions in this space.

mitex is an option [1]. There's no way I could learn another notation, at this point. [1] https://typst.app/universe/package/mitex/

I'll only say that learning typst is easier than learning LaTeX.

It also has first class support for unicode (as does LaTeX via some packages) which if combined with a suitable keyboard layout makes both writing and reading math source code infinitely more pleasant :)

Re: I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

#15

Post by Al-Khwarizmi »

Svoka wrote: post #3

I'm quite glad some alternatives are popping up. Using LaTeX feels like piece of 80s tech to be honest. It is obviously fine and super powerful, but, like vim-style fine. There got to be more contemporary alternatives that status quo. Not everyone is into nostalgia. I don't try to take away LaTeX or vim from anyone, it just not for everyone.

It's not even fine. It's old and it shows also in the functionality, and I say this as a rather heavy LaTeX user. For example, Unicode support is atrocious. A few years ago I had to include some Hebrew and Russian words in a document that was otherwise in Latin alphabet, and it was hell.

I'm not a vim user but my understanding is that it has native Unicode support. Software with old-school UI but adapted to current needs (or where needs just didn't change) is fine, but it's not the case of LaTeX.

Re: I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

#16

Post by shermantanktop »

Why do CS doctoral candidates have such a fascination with typesetting? I mean, be into whatever you’re into, I guess.

But as soon as someone starts talking about LaTEX and how they spent months on their macros, I think “another hapless victim has fallen into LaTEX’s trap.” It’s like an ant lion that feeds on procrastinating students.

Re: I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

#17

Post by commandersaki »

In case anyone hasn't seen some typst source and renders, here's a few documents I whipped up:

First is based on Todd C. Miller's Latex Resume Template:

- https://typst.app/project/rDUHMUg5vxl4jQ5q2grGPY

Second is a Enduring Power of Attorney:

- https://typst.app/project/rs9ZgGLhgM7iPvFs7PQv5O

Third a will:

- https://typst.app/project/r45dVk6MpLjsoXMvxkTxsE

Re: I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

#18

Post by andrepd »

BiteCode_dev wrote: post #11

Pro tips: type long content unformatted, or barely formatted, then ask an LLM to format it using your markup of choice, then clean up the thing it got wrong. They are very decent at inferring the context of stuff and will mark code, maths, titles so on farely decently. This lets you focus on the work of making it looks nice.

Jesus

Re: I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

#19

Post by JadeNB »

Svoka wrote: post #3

I'm quite glad some alternatives are popping up. Using LaTeX feels like piece of 80s tech to be honest. It is obviously fine and super powerful, but, like vim-style fine. There got to be more contemporary alternatives that status quo. Not everyone is into nostalgia. I don't try to take away LaTeX or vim from anyone, it just not for everyone.

I appreciate your postscript. I don't use TeX or vim out of nostalgia; I didn't discover TeX until I was a senior in undergrad, and I think I didn't discover vim until after I finished my Ph.D. I use vim because it seems best for its tasks, given the way I think (though maybe I think that way because I'm old). I use TeX because I write math for a living and have invested a huge amount of time using it, so that it's become intuitive to me even though I know it wouldn't be for a newcomer, and I can't be bothered to break long-established habits until I know an alternative will be established everywhere TeX is.

Re: I wrote my PhD Thesis in Typst

#20

Post by nailer »

shermantanktop wrote: post #16

Why do CS doctoral candidates have such a fascination with typesetting? I mean, be into whatever you’re into, I guess. But as soon as someone starts talking about LaTEX and how they spent months on their macros, I think “another hapless victim has fallen into LaTEX’s trap.” It’s like an ant lion that feeds on procrastinating students.

I find it odd too. The fascination with typesetting limits the paper’s usability on narrower devices which seems a very strange position for engineers.
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