[oclug] LaTeX. Was: Open Source Oppositions Get Serious

[Dave O'Neill]

On Tue, Oct 08, 2002 at 11:50:44PM -0400, Shad Young wrote:
> Hmm, interesting debate. My only consideration is I can pound out a properly
> formatted document in just about any other format in a quarter the time and
> half the hair loss (a major consideration these days ;)). In today's world,
> I don't have the time to fiddle with odd software with terrible
> documentation (read jargon filled). I need it to make sense when I open up
> the app and to work as one would expect in the modern world.
> 
> This doesn't invalidate its foundation, just its presentation.

What "make[s] sense" and "work[s] as one would expect in the modern world"
varies widely from one person to another.  I'm perfectly comfortable, and
more productive by a factor of 5 or so, when writing documentation in LaTeX
or DocBook using a regular text editor, as compared to just about any word
processing program.  I don't have the time to fiddle with odd software with
terrible "features" that get in my way, unnavigable apps that hide several
useful options below 2 menu levels and a modal dialog, or
WYS-isn't-really-WYG applications that look fine until you print the
document.

-dave0
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