Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!uwvax!tank!eecae!cps3xx!cpsvax!smithda
From: smithda@cpsvax.cps.msu.edu (J. Daniel Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Help me defend LaTeX
Message-ID: <5104@cps3xx.UUCP>
Date: 25 Oct 89 02:19:39 GMT
References: <5954@tank.uchicago.edu>
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Reply-To: smithda@cpsvax.UUCP (J. Daniel Smith)
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Organization: Michigan State University, Computer Science Department
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One of the things that I think is so great about TeX/LaTeX is that is
that you are not tied down to your Sun workstation.  I can work on a
TeX file at home with a terminal and a modem.  Try doing that with
your favorite WYSIWYG package.  Also, at most places, workstations are
in much higher demand (and cost more) than a simple terminal.

Another great thing is that TeX files are normal ASCII files.  I don't
want to have to encode my document in some interchange format
everytime I want to send it to someone via email.  And non-ascii file
formats are just a real pain all the way around as far as I'm
concerned.

TeX is also one of the very few programs of its size (maybe the only one)
that runs on nearly every computer system in use today.  This says a
lot about portability of your files and the learning curve when moving
to a new system.  With TeX it is possible to send a file to someone
nearly anywhere in the world via email, and chances are decent that
they will be able to get a printed version of that document.  Try
doing that with FrameMaker or WordPerfect.

   Dan




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J. Daniel Smith                      Internet: smithda@cpsvax.cps.msu.edu
Michigan State University              BITNET: smithdan@msuegr
                                       Usenet: uunet!frith!smithda

I can only assume that a "Do Not File" document is filed in a "Do Not
File" file.
                           - Senator Frank Church
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