LaTeX or OpenOffice.org Math

momoni · Newbie Joined: 27 Dec 2002 Posts: 2

I've been hearing a lot about LaTeX as an alternative to OpenOffice.org Math for writing and editing formulas. Can anyone comment on the benefits of LaTeX over OOo Math? Upon first glance, it looks to me like Math will do everything I need it to do.

Thanks.

dill · Power User Joined: 18 Dec 2002 Posts: 54

using Linux? I think if the openoffice.org will do what you need it to do then use it. As far as I know Latex is harder to use.

momoni · Newbie Joined: 27 Dec 2002 Posts: 2

No. I primarily use WinXP. I actually don't even know if LaTeX is available for Windows. I looked into downloading it from the project homepage but got lost on their ftp server.

I'll give OOMath a try. If using LaTeX is as non-intuitive as downloading it, I imagine it will be too difficult for me to use. Confused

Thanks.

Luap777 · Guest

You can download a very nice TeX distro for win32 from www.miktex.org.

Another option is looking at ConTeXt which is available at www.pragma-ade.com, seems to look very promising.

It is up to you if you are happy with the math in open-office. IMO LaTeX will give the best quality, it is hard to use, but it is worth using.

Guest

wkkhong · Guest

Among LaTeX, MathType, and OOoMath, LaTeX is the best. Even MathType is better than OOoMath. OOoMath doesn't do formatting well, e.g. subscripts and superscripts are way too far apart from the main character, and try having subscripts and superscripts together. All those nice formulae you see in math textbooks are probably done in LaTeX. The scientific community swear by it. OOo still has a long way to go to replace LaTeX as a DTP engine.

Guest · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2003 12:57 am Post subject:

LaTex is not so difficult if you have to write formulas. It's like if you have to input a fomula
in a scientific program.
so for example you have to write something like $x^2$ to get x squared or
$x \over y$ if you want x divided by y [check my sintax! Smile

]
you can use a lot of editors to semplify your work:
under win you can use TexnicCenter or WinEdt

shimpe · General User Joined: 29 Aug 2003 Posts: 7

Hi,

In my opinion Latex has a larger range of mathematical symbols/constructs available by default (especially if you use the ams package); but the Ooomath will equally suit most "house-garden-and-kitchen" formulas.... (does this expression exist in English ? Smile

)

For LaTeX:
If you use Windows, you can use something like winedt or texniccenter;

Under Linux/Unix you can use something like vim, emacs (with auctex), or if you prefer more wysiwym editing look at the terrific "lyx" program.

Bye,
Stefaan.

Guest · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2003 1:34 am Post subject:

fedetxf · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2003 6:14 am Post subject: How about Integration?

If you use latex can you paste formulas inside a DOC or Writer document as easily as with Math?
Just curious.

Guest · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2003 4:38 pm Post subject:

LaTeX isn't a window s like program for writing documents, you write something like a program and "compile" it into dvi, ps or pdf

fedetxf · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2003 7:19 pm Post subject:

Santaoja · Guest

Dear Avatar,

I have written 2500 equations by Corel WordPerfect 8, 200 Equations MsWord + MathType and 100 Equations by LaTeX.

Some scientific journals ask LaTeX. OpenOffice.org and WP 8 use a similar syntax, but OOo cannot produce acceptable outlook. The subscripts and superscript are usually to far from the quantity. There are also other problems in OOo math. It is pity, since someone did a great work by preparing OOo math, but no-one is interested in finalising the work.

If you do not have huge number of equations, LaTeX is not for you. The positioning of figures and everything needs constant attention. After using LaTeX few hours you are very tired. I propose to use MsWord + MathType.

If the was a group to repair OOo math, I could join it.

Besr Regards,

Kari Santaoja
Helsinki, Finland

latex-guest · Guest

i habe been using latex for many years now and i did not find any equivalent application to it! it is sure worth trying to write articles or reports in latex. as mentioned above, it is rather difficult to get started, especially when you're not familiar with programming.

advantages are
- layout
- typesetting
- format

the layout looks by default good and is kind of standardised.
typesetting is just like you find it in books and ligatures are supported (ff, ft, fi, ... look different as ligatures)
citation, bibliography and picture or table reference always fit, since they are treated "database-like" and are part of the "latex program", which is the text yoou are writing to be compiled later as dvi, pdf or ps.

disadvantages are
- editing
- wysiwyg
- not standard

it takes some time to get used to editing a text in latex, because the source text looks quite different than the compiled pdf file since it is no wysiwyg application!
there are hardly employers who want their employees to write papers, articles or whatever though in latex! ms-office is some sort of standard and one will expect you to get on with that ms applications.

if you are into openoffice and it works for you, there is hardly a reason to switch to latex. latex is - as far as i know - only used by students and stuff at universities...

Guest · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 7:07 am Post subject:

Please have a try of LyX if you want LaTex and WYSIWYG. Check www.lyx.org. BTW, I have use LyX for my dissertation and a number of papers. It works very well.