Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cica!ctrsol!ginosko!husc6!m2c!wpi!john From: john@wpi.wpi.edu (John F Stoffel) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Tools for writing manuals... Summary: Typesetting, Word Processing, TeX Message-ID: <3161@wpi.wpi.edu> Date: 11 Jul 89 00:40:53 GMT References: <8155@bsu-cs.bsu.edu> Reply-To: john@wpi.wpi.edu (John F Stoffel) Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. USA Lines: 50 In article <8155@bsu-cs.bsu.edu> jbwaters@bsu-cs.bsu.edu (J. Brian Waters) writes: >I have recently been asked to write some manuals for some internally used >software. They will run about 50-150 pages. I currenly have WordPerfect >and some programming editors. Ideally, I would be able to use a format that >could be sent to one of the printers that advertises 'telecommuncations' and >computer typesetting. What kind of computer systems do you have access to? Do you have access to a laser printer? Or a very good quality Dot-Matrix printer? If so, you could do the printing in-house and save yourself time and trouble. >If you can not tell already, I know nothing about this area. I am looking for >suggestions for programs and methods to look into that would help produce a >'professional' looking document quickly. I would like a program that can help One very good program is TeX, Amiga port by thomas rockiki. TeX itself is an amazing program, and Tom Rockiki's port is said to be wonderful. TeX (and LaTeX) are document preparation systems designed to produce high quality typesetting, especially for mathematical text. I have blatantly copied this from the "LaTeX" introduction. >produce index, and table of contents etc. As usual, it has to be >done yesterday with a negative budget :-). Both TeX and LaTeX (not available for the amiga as far as I know) can do all that and more. The power of TeX is simply mind boggling. For a good example of a user's guide written using TeX (or LaTeX) take a look at vltstory.tex at swan.ulowell.edu (129.63.1.1) available via annonymous ftp. It is located in the /amiga directory. I know this doesn't help if you don't have TeX already, but it's the best I can do. Although I could mail you a copy of the document to you if you like. Warning: TeX is NOT a "what you see is what you get" word processor. In fact, it really isn't a word processor since you can use almost any editor you like with it. I use Emacs in text mode myself. But it DOES produce great output! I haven't seen anything else that compares. >Brian Waters !{iuvax|pur-ee}!bsu-cs!jbwaters -- John Stoffel | john@wpi.bitnet | What can you expect of a day WPI, Box 2432 | john@wpi.wpi.edu | that begins with getting up Worcester, MA 01609 | husc6!m2c!wpi!john | in the morning? --Damm the Disclaimers! Full flame ahead!--