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From: scavo@CIE.UOREGON.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: Equations - better way than Word?
Message-ID: <9012161929.AA14458@cie.uoregon.edu>
Date: 16 Dec 90 19:29:05 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Lines: 53

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: Equations - better way than Word?
Summary: try FrameMaker, MathWriter, or TeX
References: <1990Dec16.205059.2706@fennel.cc.uwa.oz.au>
Reply-To: scavo@cie.uoregon.edu (Tom Scavo)
Organization: University of Oregon Campus Information Exchange
Keywords: equations, mathematical typesetting

In article <1990Dec16.205059.2706@fennel.cc.uwa.oz.au> a_dent@fennel.cc.uwa.oz.au writes:
>I have a fried who is using Word for writing Math course books.
>
>He uses the equation features in Word because they are very
>convenient for changes (he's tried Mathtype) being still part
>of the Word document.
>
>Any suggestions for a better tool for writing the books/doing
>equations?  I get the impression the thing that bugs him 
>about MathType etc. is having to go out to the Apple menu etc.
>all the time, as well as the "picture" mode of transfer which
>makes it harder to position the equations in Word.

Yes, Word formula commands ARE handy. The problem is that
the program knows all too little about the art of mathematical
typesetting.  For example, the positions of superscripts and
subscripts must be specified by the user, and Word's formatting
of integrals is preposterous.  But I also like the idea of an
integrated package of writing tools that includes a mathematical
equation editor, and have looked far and wide for such a beast.

There are only two alternatives to Word that I know of, and one
of those hasn't been released yet.  FrameMaker has a very good
equations editor, excellent book-making features, and even a
built-in drawing palette.  But the quality of Frames's equations
pales in comparison with that TeX---the definitive mathematical
typesetting tool (but then what doesn't  :-).  On the other hand,
FM's unique interface makes the creation of mathematics a breeze
(if you have the appropriate hardware, that is).

The only other wysiwyg technical word processor is version 2
of MathWriter, to be released Real Soon Now.  It doesn't have
all of the features of FM (but then it doesn't cost near as
much either) but sure is better than Word for creating short
technical documents.  I wouldn't recommend MW to book writers,
however.

FrameMaker completely ignores the TeX standard as far as I'm
aware.  The makers of MathWriter, however, will offer various
file filters designed to work seamlessly with their program. 
I've looked at an RTF filter, and I understand a TeX filter
will also be available.

Tom Scavo
scavo@cie.uoregon.edu