Joe(theWordy)Philbrook wrote:
Yeah, Though the more things I _CAN_ micromanage with ugly red text the
better I'll like it. In fact, even though I knew when I first became
interested in LyX that it would be a long time before I had much time to
spend on learning latex, it was the fact that one can override lyx with
embedded latex commands that convinced my to start using lyx...
I've never been happy with the idea of depending on whoever is
developing/maintaining a gui package to keep the parts I count
on, in the package... So the way LyX uses LaTeX, and incorporates
the idea of embedding actual LaTeX commands, while letting me do
almost anything I might have done with a word processor without having
to already know LaTeX is the main reason I do more with it than
OOffice...
Seems we mostly agree then. I use LyX mechanisms (such as document
settings or stuff on the "insert" menu) whenever it is available.
ERT is only for what LyX does not (yet) support, but it is then a very nice
capability to have. With enough knowledge, ERT lets you do anything
you can imagine. ERT is unfortunately also capable of screwing up in
very subtle ways. The cases where the document fail to print are the
easier ones, as you see the problem immediately. The worst is when a nice
improvement in one place redefines something and cause slight ugliness
in many other places. Stuff looks bad, but it is hard to point a finger at
what it is. Redefining a length/size that is used for several purposes
is one way of achieving this. :-(
If you want to become a latex expert with time, get a book or two about it.
And use the web, there are lots of latex tricks to pick up. Having a
book for reference is essential though. It will show a lot of what latex
can do and how to do it. And it will likely steer you away from the worst
mistakes as well.
Helge Hafting
