New Members ⇒ Introduction from Oklahoma

[west.logan]

I've been wanting to learn LaTeX for quite some time but never had the time to do so. Now this semester (my last as Master's student), while taking a Mathematical Modeling class I decided I'd teach myself. So I've read through the Short Introduction to LaTeX, numerous websites, and also just finished up Lamport's book. I feel like I'm well-equipped with the basics and am enjoying myself.

In fact, I like some of the features so well that I'm considering trying to get the tech writers in my company to switch over to LaTeX or at least use something "familiar" like LyX. Currently everything is done in Word and everyone hates it. The lists of figures and tables, figure numbers, table numbers, and sometimes even the table of contents itself are all entered manually so you can imagine what a nightmare that becomes when cross-referencing figure numbers and page numbers. We use a lot of acronyms as well and I think the acronym package would be very helpful.

I use MiKTeX Portable on my thumb drive generally, TeXShop at home.

[gmedina]

Hi, and welcome to the board.

...I'm considering trying to get the tech writers in my company to switch over to LaTeX or at least use something "familiar" like LyX...

Good luck on that crusade!

[Montag]

Haha, this naive view is actually quite funny. I mean it's entertaining, especially when I remember my own dialogues (=discussions, I had to defend myself) with fellow students about how screwed up LaTeX must be if you type code and need to compile stuff. But then they saw how useful it is for equations and references and so on, at least they seemed to stop "discussing" it.
Meaning ... I wish you all the best, seriously.

[west.logan]

Hmm yes, especially when it comes to tables I may have my work cut out for me. Which is why I was focusing on certain things and recommending LyX

By the way, I love the "but Word can do that" argument. Have you tried to make Word do that in anything but the most basic form?

I do have the tech writers interested in it at least, and that's a start.

[localghost]

[…] In fact, I like some of the features so well that I'm considering trying to get the tech writers in my company to switch over to LaTeX or at least use something "familiar" like LyX. Currently everything is done in Word and everyone hates it. The lists of figures and tables, figure numbers, table numbers, and sometimes even the table of contents itself are all entered manually so you can imagine what a nightmare that becomes when cross-referencing figure numbers and page numbers. We use a lot of acronyms as well and I think the acronym package would be very helpful. […]

That might become a very challenging mission.


Best regards and welcome to the board
Thorsten