Blog -- Page 2

There are a number of tools out there which allow you to compose documents. Three of my favorites are TeX, Emacs org-mode, and OpenOffice. Each of these tools is open-source and allows the user to script and modify their experiences.

Below are some factors which I think are helpful to consider when choosing between these document-preparation tools.

Use TeX when:

1. You want output with very high quality appearance.
2. You want to take advantage of TeX's powerful layout algorithms and routines.
3. You want to typeset a bunch of mathematics.
4. You want the document to be version-controlled using Git or similar SCM system.

Use Emacs org-mode when:

1. Content is king, and you don't at this stage want custom layout.
2. You don't need access to the underlying layout engine.
3. You want to enter content, including mathematics, in a distraction-free and straightforward way.
4. You want easy export to LaTeX, PDF, and HTML.
5. You want the document to be version-controlled within Git or similar SCM system.

Use OpenOffice/LibreOffice when:

1. Ease of composition is more important than highly polished end-product.
2. You are content with fairly standard and simple layout conventions – and don't require pixel-perfect control or algorithmic layout optimization.
3. Mathematical typesetting is not that important to the document.
4. You need to edit the document in conjunction with other users who are not technical and do not know TeX.
5. You want integration with OpenOffice Calc (spreadsheet).

"Crede, ut intelligas" – "Believe that you may understand"

– Saint Augustine, Sermon 43.7

As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.

– Albert Einstein, Geometry and Experience

1. Variable width font support.

   I studied my own reading speed on a variety of documents, and found that I read variable width text about 15% faster than fixed width text. I don't mind writing code in fixed-width fonts, but if I am going to use one text editor for everything, then I very much appreciate having variable-width support.

2. org-mode > markdown

   Org-mode allows you to write structured content within Emacs, and supports the writer with a variety of useful features and tools. Besides the rich editing, export, and extension possibilities offered by emacs org-mode itself, I find that the org format is superior to markdown for my purposes. Two primary reasons for this are that org provides syntax (such as drawers) for defining all sorts of metadata about your text, and also that org is designed in such a way that it is basically equally usable as variable-width text and fixed-width text. In particular I dislike the extent to which markdown relies on fixed-width text for its display features.

3. evil >= vim.

UPDATE 2017-04-26: Updated this page to link to my new and improved version of the ANSI CL standard draft which now includes a pdf sidebar outline.

Below is a link to a build of the publicly available ANSI CL standard draft, which has been somewhat modified to include a pdf sidebar outline. The sidebar makes it much easier to navigate this 1200 page plus document!

If you are curious to see what modifications I had to make to the tex sources to obtain the above pdf, please refer to the gitlab repository hosted here.