Re: How to write reports and books in Mathematica
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg109718] Re: How to write reports and books in Mathematica
- From: Murray Eisenberg <murray at math.umass.edu>
- Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 07:25:21 -0400 (EDT)
Unless you don't know LaTeX, or do know it but don't regard it as a "word processing system", then surely you're joking about Mathematica being "far superior to any other word processing system." Mathematica cannot touch LaTeX in typesetting documents to publication standards with technical content. To mention just a few LaTeX strengths: correct sizes of large delimiters and math operators; correct discrimination in typesetting in-line mathematics vs. display mathematics (e.g., with respect to positioning of subscripts and superscripts for integral signs and summation signs); flexibility in formatting tables and matrices; easy internal labeling and references to theorems, figures, etc.; easy handling and flexible formatting of bibliographies and references to them; smart splitting of text into justified lines (if you want justification) and smart division of the document into pages; easy handling of multiple languages within a single document (if that's relevant). What's more, LaTeX allows its user to focus primarily upon the content and organizational structure of the document, not upon the appearance of the document. The price is no ability to evaluate mathematical expressions directly within the document, or to provide a "live" document to the reader. Of course LaTeX is a mark-up language, not a WYSIWIG "word processor". And I have to admit that for a quick job, it's often easier for me to use Mathematica to knock off a document. But very, very seldom are the results anywhere near as good-looking -- and correctly typeset by recognized standards -- as what, with a big more investment of time, I can accomplish with LaTeX. On 5/12/2010 7:31 AM, Kevin J. McCann wrote: > > ...I use Mathematica for ALL my class notes (physics grad and undergrad), and I > find that the typesetting, particularly equations, is far superior to > any other word processing system.... -- Murray Eisenberg murray at math.umass.edu Mathematics & Statistics Dept. Lederle Graduate Research Tower phone 413 549-1020 (H) University of Massachusetts 413 545-2859 (W) 710 North Pleasant Street fax 413 545-1801 Amherst, MA 01003-9305