I believe that each component should have its own guide, Math is separate for a reason. However, since Math is an individual component that works with the rest of the suite (like Draw) it should also be explained in each of the components' guides. Math's integration into the menus of the other components (Insert > Object > Formula) makes this essential.
The explanation of using Math within Writer, or Draw or Impress, etc, can be brief enough to explain the integration, what Math can do for that specific component and where to find more detailed help with the Math component (defer to the guide).
Giving Math the "status" of its own guide will also promote the idea that it can be used to create formulas for other applications besides OOo (although currently it cannot save its formulas in any standard image format such as png, gif or bmp...you need to use Draw to do this).
I have not looked, but I would bet most of what has already written about Math for Writer can be moved into a separate Math guide...with the Math portion of the Writer guide revised as I mentioned above.
Rick, thanks for those comments. I'm interested in pursuing this idea further, to get a better idea of just what would be involved. I do like the idea of giving Math the "status" of its own guide, but my suspicion is that it's a longer-term project rather than something to attempt to achieve in the first round of books. But I still don't know enough to have a strong opinion one way or another. (And I do want to hear from some other people when they have a chance to comment.)
Would you be interested in developing an outline for a Math guide? That would certainly help my thinking.
Regards, Jean
