[OS X TeX] your wiki needs you?

[Alain Schremmer]

On Sep 18, 2008, at 9:59 PM, cfrees at imapmail.org wrote:

> On Thu 18th Sep, 2008 at 20:02, Alain Schremmer seems to have written:
>> But when I was using Word I was so happy that there was a math  
>> editor that I wasn't even aware that the spacing was not quite  
>> right. And, similarly, I have rarely observed Word users, even  
>> mathematical ones, being frustrated. Usually, they just do what  
>> Word allows them to do and rarely is there a yearning for  
>> something else.
>
> Mathematics aside, it is hard to believe you have been around many  
> Word
> users!

I have, I have. As I said I even used to be one.

> Especially Word users trying to do any of the following:
> 1) format a thesis/dissertation consistently with university
> requirements
> 2) format anything according to any (external) requirements

Indeed, that would probably be unpleasant.

> 3) make the paperclip go away
> 4) make Word understand that they will tell it when they want to start
> a list/use a capital letter/insert a blank page/...

I think I mentioned that. And, as far as I am concerned, there is  
also the fact that Word lost me a big chunk of work because I trusted  
its "long document" feature.
>
> Not that I don't believe you - but it is not an easy task!

Even in an academic environment, the kind of people you mention are a  
very small minority compared to the real users of Word which are the  
administrators. So much so, that I have given up sending them my  
admonition not to use a proprietary format. Now I just trash their  
doc. stuff, sight unseen. (There is no way I can lose my tenure  
because of that.)

Regards
--schremmer