On 13 Mar 2011, at 18:44, Jason Davies wrote: > Patrick James wrote: >> >> It does all of these these things superbly well. >>
>> most of the reviews on the App Store say that it's still not quite 100% on >> this (which is what I hear at intervals from Pages-using friends) I think you need to actually try using Pages :) In your earlier email you write: > Last time I looked, Pages didn't even do footnotes! indexing? > cross-referencing? citation systems? And it doesn't handle custom graphics in > headed paper. I'm not even going to mention Track Changes... Well I repeat, that it does all of these things superbly well. I have used Pages for years, and I have a massive experience in using word processors and in using mark up languages. I wrote: >> Suggesting that people should stop using word processors and learn Latex is >> not very realistic. And your response is: > Not for you maybe. But please look at what I wrote: "suggesting that people should stop using word processors and learn Latex is not very realistic." So, I'm writing in general, and what I've written is absolutely right imho. > But there are many people out there who disagree (eg > http://openwetware.org/wiki/Word_vs._LaTeX, even a FB page! > http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=17278906090&topic=6608). There's also > the fact that anyone who uses serious equations or necessarily eccentric > footnotes ends up learning LaTeX. No they really don't :) Lots of people do very eccentric footnotes and very complicated equations using word processors and graphics programs or dedicated equation editors. To do complicated equations there are currently marvellous WYSIWYG options. Learning LaTex to set out equations with markup would for most people be an absolutely absurd waste of time. Of course you will see LaTex enthusiasts wanting to use LaTex for everything, but I repeat, suggesting that people should stop using word processors and learn Latex is not very realistic. > But more to the point, that's not what I said. I said roughly: > > 1) There are WPs. These tend to bloat and require the user to get familiar > with a lot of different palettes etc that do not easily lend themselves to > coherency beyond a certain complexity. That is inescapable. I showed Nisus to > someone a while ago and they nearly fainted (as they put it). They all take > getting used to if they have any power. And you think that person who nearly fainted at the sight of Nisus Writer will want to learn LaTex ? The program is "Nisus Writer" btw, "Nisus" is the company. > > 2) There are two mark-up languages that work (of all infinite possibilities, > and real options) > a) LaTeX > b) HTML/XML variants. There are many more. > There are advantages to the second set of options. > > I didn't even begin to mention the actual typesetting process, on which LaTeX > beats Word into a pulp. Please be specific, in what way does LaTex beat Word into a pulp for typesetting? > And I think if you're starting cold, with no practice in Word (admittedly > fairly unrealistic scenario) it's tricky to start with LaTeX (but then you're > away) whereas Word seems to me to be a very long learning curve. I know many > people who picked up LaTeX after a couple of hours. To be honest I really think you need to stop writing *as if* you know things and go and learn about these things. LaTex will not "beat Word into a pulp" for typesetting. You might have read this in a LaTex enthusiasts website, but I think that you'll find it is nonsense. For the vast majority of people a good word processor will be far preferable to using LaTex. There will always be a few odd people who want to take the personal computer back to the days before the Macintosh, before WYSIWYG word processing became popular. But really for the most part these people are just eccentrics with a dose of nostaligia. Thank goodness for the Macintosh and thank goodness for WYSIWYG word processors. I remember very well before both of these and I for one do not wish to go back. Patrick -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Sussex Mac User Group" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/smug?hl=en-GB.
