Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!rochester!uhura.cc.rochester.edu!akk2
From: akk2@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Atul Kacker)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Looking for a techincal word processing program.
Message-ID: <1510@ur-cc.UUCP>
Date: 13 Apr 89 18:24:18 GMT
References: <753@sunset.MATH.UCLA.EDU> <2067@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu>
Reply-To: akk2@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Atul Kacker)
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Rochester
Lines: 30

In article <2067@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu> sullivan@phyllis.math.binghamton.edu (fred sullivan) writes:
>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?
>>
>
>1. TeX is much easier to use than it "seems".  Our secretaries learned
>TeX and wouldn't trade it for anything (they were using a Mac before).

I second that wholeheartedly.  TeX is fairly easy to use.  Now mastering
it is another thing.  Most users can get by knowing about 30 control
sequences, unless your document is very complex.  New users may also find
it is easier to use one of the macro packages like LaTeX which pack most
of the power of TeX with easy to use control commands.  Add a screen
previewer to TeX and you have an excellent system.

Most people who say TeX is too difficult to learn       

1) have spent five minutes evaluating it,

or

2) had to have their documents done yesterday,

or

3) or have been coddled by word processors on toy operating systems ;-)