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From: RUSS@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Keith Russ)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Looking for a techincal word processing program.
Message-ID: <1913@quanta.eng.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 12 Apr 89 17:18:07 GMT
References: <753@sunset.MATH.UCLA.EDU> <2057@uwovax.uwo.ca> <618@eecea.eece.ksu.edu>
Sender: news@quanta.eng.ohio-state.edu
Organization: Ohio State University
Lines: 51

In article <753@sunset.MATH.UCLA.EDU> tony@MATH.UCLA.EDU () writes:
>Can someone recommend a program that can handle equations
>with "relative" ease, either PD, shareware or Commercial?
>
>I've looked at TeX but it seems so hard to use.  Is there something
>Macintosh'ish for the PC/XT/AT class computers?
>

This isn't Macintosh'ish, but...
We use WordMARC Composer in our department.  It isn't perfect,
but it is fairly powerful and handles equations quite well (with
7 levels of superscripts and 7 of subscripts).  It comes with
downloadable fonts for the Epson printers (draft on FX-85,
LQ on the LQ-500,800,1500 etc), and deals with two "alternate"
character sets:  Greek/Math and Chemistry/Math.  Selecting
the alternate characters is a matter of one keystroke to enter
the alternate set (or two keystrokes for the current version,
Composer +), and if you have a graphics screen you will get
the character onscreen as well.  Super/Subscripts are also
easy, and take up full lines onscreen (and half lines on paper).
So, it isn't WYSIWYG.  On the other hand, it really isn't
that hard to learn or use.

The program is available for MS-DOS and VMS.  I believe they
are giving an educational discount of 85% (!), or in real ($)
terms, the full program and manuals for $75 (+$10 S&H, CA
residents add sales tax).

Address is:


MARC Software International, Inc.
260 Sheridan Ave.
Palo Alto, CA
             94306



If you want an example of what the program can do, see if you
can find a copy of "Gas-Liquid-Solid Fluidization Engineering"
from Butterworths Publishers (future tense, it will be released
the end of this week).  The text was all done using Composer +,
and printed on an HP LaserJet II using the B and J cartridges.



Keith M. Russ
Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ohio State University
140 W. 19th Ave.
Columbus, OH  43210