[OS X TeX] TeXShop Feature Request

[Alain Schremmer]

On Mar 7, 2009, at 8:19 PM, Lee Witt wrote:

> As a rookie on this list, and so risking being too bold,  I would  
> agree with this comment.
> On Mar 7, 2009, at 5:56 PM, Adam R. Maxwell wrote:
>
>> One comment from my perspective as a developer: adding preferences  
>> to satisfy every whim of every user is foolish.  In the end, it's  
>> confusing for users (too many options) and a huge maintenance  
>> headache for the developer, since a minor change may affect a  
>> dozen weird little features that he never uses.
>
> I used amstex to type my dissertation in 1989,  used  tex and latex  
> off an on (when I could) for several years, and have used latex for  
> 99\%+ of my tests, handouts, notes, etc., for several years. At  
> this time I am the only faculty member at my small, private,  
> business-oriented school who does. We have recently  hired some new  
> faculty who have expressed an interest in learning late (advisors  
> may have used it) but are somewhat put off by the learning curve.  
> You're probably wondering "is there a point to this?" - yes, there  
> is. I love texshop, think it's great, but I wonder about how much  
> consideration is being given to people who want to learn Latex: is  
> there a risk of so much complexity with an editor that the allure  
> of latex will be diminished by the added complexity of this editor?  
> I think some of the suggestions are fine, but I worry about the  
> issue of new users.
>
> I do realize my concern may not be a relevant topic for this list:  
> if not, I apologize, but I'm not sure where it would go.

(1) Let me first say that I absolutely trust Koch's judgement in the  
matter and so that I do not think that there is any danger of TeXShop  
getting out of hand.

(2) Watson kind of convinced me that a switch in the Preferences  
would make maintenance more difficult, probably to a degree out of  
proportion with what would be gained. Besides, screens are getting  
larger.

(3) I should perhaps begin by saying again that, had it not been for  
TeXShop a few years ago, I would never have gotten started in LaTeX  
and that, in fact, I am still using 2.18 on a Wierda installation  
"out of the box". In other words, I am an old new user.

This being said, I don't see how one more button in the preferences  
would have made such a big difference for the users including myself.

Regards
--schremmer