Hi Virgil, Congratulations and thank you for providing first-class LyX documentation. I hope you post on your website both that PDF and the .lyx and .layout files that produced it, and then place a link to them on the LyX wiki.
I agree with almost everything you say in your document, and will now list my disagreements. Anything not listed below -- that means I agree with you. #1: When listing LyX advantages you forgot a big one -- it's an extremely fast typing environment -- faster than TeX, LaTeX, and slightly faster than MSWord. #2: You imply LaTeX is easier to work with than TeX. 99% of the world agrees with you, but not me. In my humble opinion, TeX is incredibly easy and consistent, and suitable for writing moderately complex documents. In my opinion (and as I mentioned, mine is a minority opinion), LaTeX becomes prefereable only when you're doing very complex things with your document, or when you want a ready-made document class. The other reason to use LaTeX is that LaTeX, not TeX, is the technology behind LyX. #3: You say "Like a modern-day word processor, LYX places a graphical user interface on top of the basic LaTEX foundation. However, it is still not as elegant as a true wysiwyg word processor." Personally, I'd replace the word "elegant" with the word WYSIWYG. In my opinion, once someone's used LyX for a few weeks, LyX will seem every bit as elegant as WordPerfect, MSWord, LibreOffice etc. LyX simply doesn't show page breaks or which words go on which lines #4: You say "In fact, the LYX developers call their program wysiwym— What You See Is What You Mean." That's absolutely accurate, and man, I really wish the LyX developers had never called it "What You See Is What You Mean." I find that phrase irrelevant, misleading, and unnecessary. In fact, LyX is partially WYSIWYG, and that's not a bad thing. Rather than trotting out that WYSIWYM acronym, I wish they'd list LyX's features: Fast authoring, beautifully typeset output, easy and beautiful equations, greatly favors styles-based authoring and disfavors fingerpainting. #5: Your document seems to be targetted at an audience who has been using MS Word and is unfamiliar with LyX. You might want to add in a few places "after a few weeks using LyX you'll view it more like ..." This was an excellent piece of documentation. I've used LyX ten years, and didn't know about the microtype package until reading about it in your document. Thank you! SteveT On Tuesday, October 18, 2011 12:41:35 PM Virgil Arrington wrote: > If it's helpful, attached is a booklet I wrote about LyX. I > prepared it as an exercise in order to learn how to use LyX. > > After performing this exercise, I would definitely try using LyX or > a plain LaTeX editor for a thesis. > > But, before doing so, I would definitely read the LyX Introduction > and Tutorial in the Help menu. That will save you a lot of > heartache. > > Virgil > > -----Original Message----- > From: Johnston81 > Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 12:49 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Engineering student considering LyX for Thesis > > To the ones that can and will help, > > I apologize if this has already been covered in another topic; I > have searched but been unable to find any such. If, however, you > know of such topics, if you could please point me in the right > direction? > > My current situation is this: I am working on my Master Thesis and > currently doing my research and such. As it is now, I am uncertain > how large my final project will be - I imagine that the final > document will probably exceed 100 pages, but where I am uncertain > of size I am certain that the document will contain considerable > amounts of graphs and tables - rather more than I am comfortable > working with in Word 2010. > > My questions are fairly simple to ask, I am not certain that > everybody will agree on the answers but rough estimates are all I > am looking for anyway. So here goes: > > 1. Considering LyX over Word, how much time would I approximately > need to learn LyX to the extent that I can actually produce text, > including graphics and formulas(!), from a template? > 2. What can I reasonably expect my learning curve to be after > having learned the bare basics; what I mean is, is it simple to > teach LyX to oneself and how easy is it to solve problems when > encountered? > 3. And finally, being a skilled user of Word would I - ultimately - > save or spend time if I did try my luck on LyX? > > I have many more similar questions, but for now this will have to > do - I shouldn't take to much of your time! But if you have any > other advice or experiences that relate to my post, that you feel > could help me or others that are doing the same kind of > contemplations, please do not hesitate and do share! > > Thank you very much for time. I look forward to read your replies! > > Johnston81 > > -- > View this message in context: > http://lyx.475766.n2.nabble.com/Engineering-student-considering-LyX > -for-Thesis-tp6901371p6901371.html Sent from the LyX - Users > mailing list archive at Nabble.com. -- Steve Litt Author: The Key to Everyday Excellence http://www.troubleshooters.com/bookstore/key_excellence.htm Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/stevelitt
