[OS X TeX] your wiki needs you?

[Robert Bruner]

> 
> On Sep 18, 2008, at 2:04 PM, Robert Bruner wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> >
> >> True, but markup need not be very hard either and with good macros
> >> and a flash mode, could be almost by-passed. My point is that for
> >> "ordinary" mathematical stuff, LaTeX could be made to be as easy as
> >> word processors.
> >
> > Easier.
> 
> Interesting. How so?

Try typesetting the quadratic formula in a wysiwyg:  getting good
spacing is hard.  But in a markup language, you tell it what is needed,
viz,
\[
x_1, x_2 = \frac {-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}
\]
and it sorts out the spacing.  I always tell students to imagine they're
talking to another mathematician over the phone, and type what they might
say to describe the formulas they need.  (\frac corresponds to 'the fraction
with numerator Blah and denominator Blahblah.)

Bob