[OS X TeX] {DON'T} Use $$...$$, in LaTeX

[Morten Høgholm]

On Fri, 08 Sep 2006 16:35:27 +0200, André Bellaïche  
<abellaic at math.jussieu.fr> wrote:

It would be a lot easier to show the argumentation if you didn't top post.  
Rearranged.

> Le 8 sept. 06 à 15:52, William Adams a écrit :
>
>> On Sep 8, 2006, at 9:03 AM, André Bellaïche wrote:
>>
>>> Why do tell people tu use \[ ...\]?The classical TeX $$...$$ have
>>> the same effect, and a much better visibilty in the source file.
>>
>> Because $$ uses Plain TeX mechanisms and isn't tied into LaTeX
>> parameters such as spacing around equations &c.
>
> As far as I know (I have just tried \abovedisplayskip = 5cm, to be  
> sure), equations displayed by $$...$$ are sensitive to some changes of  
> LaTeX parameters. Does there exists other features which they would  
> ignore ?

$$ is really a TeX primitive operation, which means "insert a centered  
math display" and one classic example where the \[ ... \] syntax helps is  
the fleqn option of the standard classes.

Furthermore using $$ can cause a few surprises here and there. Compare
   \hbox{abc$$def$$hij}
and
   \vbox{abc$$def$$hij}
-- 
Morten
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