On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 11:21:44 -0800 (PST) Rich Shepard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Feb 2005, Martin A. Hansen wrote: > > > i am also interested in strong pro/con arguments i can use (i am aware of > > the feature list etc). please fill in below :o) > > Martin, > > > pros: > > > > free > > well written and intelligent docs > > superb bibliographies using bibtex > > I'm an ecologist so perhaps my perspective is aligned with members of your > group. There are many more reasons to use LyX/LaTeX than those you have > listed. These include: > > -- If you define departmental/group standards for reports and other > documents then no one need pay any attention to formatting; it's done > automatically for the writer. > > -- The writer can focus on the content and leave the formatting and page > layout to the software. > > -- The printed results are typeset (the unit is the paragraph) rather than > printed by a word processor (the unit is the line). This visual appeal makes > the reader more accepting of the document. > > -- Table of Contents, Lists (Figures, Tables) are automatically generated > and updated when the author moves text within the document. > This can be done also with word using styles, although you still need to work on the typesetting at the end, and it can be a real pain since word has a tendency to mess things up (although working in layout view, IIRC how its called, make that easier). > -- Mathematical equations are "professionally" presented. > Mathtype can make things easier here but its still a pain to typeset and number equations properly. > -- Figures are fit to the page according to typographic standards; they > look better. > > -- Cross references and reference citations are automatically numbered and > maintained. > > -- If journals in which you'd publish provide LaTeX classes then articles > can be submitted camera-ready. > At least math journals always point to some file (I don't think that there are more then 5 mathematicians in the world that write articles using word ;-) > -- Producing output via pdflatex lets you distribute your document without > worry that others will alter it. > The problem is more when you want people to be able to alter them while still see them in high quality while altering. > -- Unlimited flexibility. All versions produce data files that are > readable by newer versions. (Try reading a win95 .doc on w2k or xp; I am > told it cannot be easily done.) > lyx files are also better for version control since they are text files (I occasionally work directly with the lyx file when I need to do search replace on latex in math formulas where lyx's search/replace doesn't work properly). On the other hand, working directly with lyx makes it harder to control the files in ways that are good for versioning since diffs work line by line and not word by word (I've to find a good word by work diff, any suggestions?) > > cons: > > > > lyx/word exchange is horrible > > Well, if everyone uses LyX this is not an issue. > > The real cons include: > > -- A longer learning curve once you need to move beyond the basics. > I find that once you try and move beyond the basics word also has a rather steep learning curve and tends to fight with you quite as much, it just happens in different places where people not aware of the idea of typesetting and write by content instead of appearance usually don't run into (consistent styles, indexes, section numbering, bibliographies, mathematical formula's (including numbering), changing overall document styles easily to match publishing requirements just to name a few). It may not be as intimidating to tweak though non-programmers. > -- Thinking about what you're doing. > > -- Change scares people. > Word has a rather nice change tracking system. > Rich > > -- > Dr. Richard B. Shepard, President > Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. (TM) > <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > This Mail Was Scanned By Mail-seCure System > at the Tel-Aviv University CC. >
