Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!comp.vuw.ac.nz!virtue!phil
From: phil@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: Request for info on math equation formatters
Message-ID: <1583.26f64d34@waikato.ac.nz>
Date: 18 Sep 90 04:37:08 GMT
References: <1990Sep14.160536.1376@eddie.mit.edu>
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Lines: 26

In article <1990Sep14.160536.1376@eddie.mit.edu>, rabbit@eddie.mit.edu (Warren J. Madden) writes:
> 	I recently started taking courses involving lots of complex
> equations.  I'd like to be able to use my Mac SE to write papers that would
> include such equations.  Could anybody who has experience with such
> programs as Expressionist, MacEqn, etc. fill me in on the
> strengths/weaknesses of each?

I did a review of these products for the Australasian equivalent of Wings for
the Mind.  IMHO, MathType is the best, followed closely by Expressionist.  Both
of these work best with WriteNow, which recognises embedded code in a PICT
object to align an expression vertically within a line.  There is an FKEY which
I've yet to try out which is supposed to make Word do the same, since Microsoft
presumably want you to use Word's equation mode (barf!).

MacWrite, PageMaker, RSG are no good for using in conjunction with expression
editors as they won't allow you to place an equation within a line of text and
have it stick to the text, and/or won't allow sufficently precise vertical
alignment.  Word Perfect works, but is a bit cumbersome IMHO.

I could BinHex the article and email it if anyone outside of Australasia is
interested.  If I get lots of requests, I'll post the text (the article had
samples and screen dumps).
-- 
Phil Etheridge (phil@waikato.ac.nz)                 /\  /\   -+-,--, .--, ._
Computer Services/Mathematics & Statistics         /  \/  \  / /--< /--  /
University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ.              /        \/ /__.) \_  /