LaTeX, the anti-tool
I used it a lot in the past few days. Or rather: I got prevented from doing so by LaTeX itself.
I wrote a paper about creating a programming language and my supervisor suggested using LaTeX to typeset the document. This sounded like a good idea to me, as I had played around with LaTeX before. I wouldn’t have to worry about coming up with a layout, keeping track of citations and the numbering and positioning of figures. Well…
Before I go on, I would like to state, that I love the basic principle of LaTeX: Text, annotated with semantic information, that gets automatically turned into a good looking document. Just like HTML…
The only problem: LaTeX is a chaotic chunk of hacks, glued together by a more or less robust package system. There is absolutely no consistency among the different extensions. A simple example are the packages pstricks and pdftricks: One abbreviates picture, the other does not. Why can’t they just agree on a naming scheme?
Definitely the worst thing about LaTeX is the non-existing usefulness of its error messages. To a complete novice, it must look as if one would have to have invented LaTeX in order to understand it.
Also very annoying is the fact, that compilation is slow as hell, even on modern machines. I mean, taking 5 or so seconds would be understandable, if I’m compiling a 41′000-lines-of-code project, but not in the case of just 2000 lines.
Well, this statement is actually wrong as I must consider that the whole compiler is actually interpreted. LaTeX’s flexibility comes at a price.
Looking backwards, I must say, that I spent at least as much time fighting LaTeX as I did writing my paper. Something must be seriously wrong. Isn’t a tool supposed to make things easier? Did I miss anything?
The sad thing about this story: There is not really an alternative for texts that heavily rely on mathematics. At least none I know of.
So this probably wasn’t my last paper typeset by LaTeX
Have a look at RST (ReStructured Text), for smaller projects. It’s possible to embed LaTeX code which is then rendered by LaTeX itself.
maybe it helps