{latex-project} is about LaTeX in general and the LaTeX Project. If possible, this tag should be avoided in favour of more specific tags.
288
votes
22answers
22k views
How can I explain the meaning of LaTeX to my grandma?
I wrote a book about LaTeX, and my proud grandma wanted to have a copy. So she got it, said "What a beautiful picture on the cover!" and - "What is this, LaTeX?".
She doesn't know Word, never used a ...
87
votes
16answers
13k views
LaTeX in Industry
I know LaTeX is used a lot in academia to format papers and dissertations.
How is LaTeX used in industry and what are some examples? I am wondering
whether knowing LyX will give me a leverage when ...
73
votes
13answers
3k views
What have been the most important changes to LaTeX in the last five years?
I hope I will not be flamed for this question, but I have been out of the loop for the last five years. Therefore my question is: what do you consider the most important changes to LaTeX in the last ...
64
votes
5answers
1k views
How do package authors find the time?
Not sure if this question belongs here, on the main site, or not on TeX.SX at all. Let me know if it belongs somewhere else.
I have recently made some leaps in my knowledge of LaTeX, in particular ...
60
votes
5answers
3k views
Cunning (La)TeX tricks
Writing (La)TeX code sometimes requires a degree of guile. Here (in no particular order) are two of my favourite examples.
Macros ending with spaces
Pete asked how to see the implementation of ...
58
votes
8answers
20k views
Why are there no alternatives to TeX, or, why is TeX still used? [closed]
I'm fairly new to TeX and LaTeX, having been drawn in by the Big Idea — creating a document programmatically. However, my experience of TeX (and its libraries — LaTeX, ConTeXt, …) has been almost ...
50
votes
15answers
7k views
Why should I use LaTeX?
I have heard a lot about LaTeX, but never used it myself.
It is mainly used for typesetting professional research papers. But I am not writing research papers.
Is LaTeX for me? If yes, why should I ...
47
votes
5answers
2k views
What is best way to mention that a document has been typeset with TeX?
Is there any common way to mention that a document has been typeset by TeX? So non-TeXnicians (TeXperts) may become a little familiar with the TeX world.
Update: It would be nice if one hero make a ...
47
votes
3answers
4k views
How to write (La)TeX (with parentheses) [or any other TeX-related logo]
I'm looking after a macro to write the (La)TeX logo (with parentheses), i.e. something similar to \TeX, \LaTeX, but where the output includes ()'s.
46
votes
7answers
2k views
Visual comparison between LaTeX and Word output (hyphenation, typesetting, ligatures etc)
I really want to convince my friends and family that LaTeX is the choice for them when it comes to formatting and creating beautiful documents. I am aware of the major advantages that come with using ...
46
votes
5answers
7k views
What is the difference between TeX and LaTeX?
I know LaTeX and I've heard that LaTeX is a set of macros in TeX.
But what does it exactly mean?
45
votes
2answers
5k views
Where do I start LaTeX programming?
I'm interested in writing packages for TeX/LaTeX/XeLaTeX. I googled around, but all I found was guides or tutorials about how to prepare documents using LaTeX. I want to know how LaTeX works and how ...
43
votes
5answers
1k views
How best to procrastinate and learn LaTeX?
Slightly tongue-in-cheek this one but written in good faith...
I am a competent user of LaTeX and use it with Eclipse as IDE, MacTexlive as install, and XeTeX as engine to author my PhD.
However, ...
41
votes
13answers
9k views
What are the benefits of writing resumes in TeX/LaTeX?
Today, I've written my resume in LaTeX and it looks great and all
It took me about 2 hours to get everything right
But I've been thinking, what benefits do I get from writing it in LaTeX rather than ...
40
votes
35answers
5k views
What professions use TeX/LaTeX besides CS?
What academic disciplines (other than Computer Science) or professionals use TeX and LaTeX?
40
votes
34answers
6k views
Most significant reasons that led us to (La)TeX
Looking back, what really convinced you to begin writing with TeX or LaTeX?
This question is "community wiki", so there's no reputation to lose or to gain.
Please don't write advantages of TeX and ...
37
votes
4answers
2k views
What are TeX and LaTeX?
I'm surprised no one else has asked this question. It's not explained very well in the FAQ or site descriptions either.
I know many of you will think "LMGTFY", "RTFM", or "ask wikipedia", but I'd ...
35
votes
4answers
810 views
Separation of content structure and style in LaTeX?
In HTML, over the last decade or so, there has been a strong push toward complete separation of content structure and style. Most websites are now built using HTML for structural mark-up, and CSS for ...
35
votes
5answers
1k views
How to tell people why packages become deprecated and shouldn't be used anymore?
I'm working with LaTeX for a while now. Writing more and more documents I've learned that there are packages that should not be used or got replaced by others.
Looking into files my friends or ...
33
votes
6answers
1k views
How do packages work ? Why aren't they all pre-initiated?
I have been using LaTeX for about a month now and whenever I have a question, most answers involve adding new packages to the preamble.
My question is, how do these packages work? Are they all ...
33
votes
7answers
3k views
Best Way to Start Using LaTeX/TeX?
I'm not really a programmer but am quite interested in learning how to use LaTeX/TeX. I've looked it up on Wikipedia and scanned through it and the documents created through this way of editing is ...
33
votes
2answers
744 views
List of higher-level LaTeX commands corresponding to TeX commands
Since LaTeX is a format built on top of TeX, it surely has several high level abstractions that perform similarly to TeX commands, with some added error-handling functionality, for example. I always ...
32
votes
2answers
523 views
How are (La)TeX projects financed?
Not sure if this is appropriate for TEX.SX, but I'll ask anyway. Though not a question on the use or feature of (La)TeX and friends, this question is relevant inasmuch as it is about the financial ...
31
votes
2answers
2k views
Styleguide for LaTeX similar to the Google styleguides?
Even though I don't work at Google, the Google Styleguides have been very helpful for me in adopting consistent, readable style conventions for my code. Unfortunately, there is no Google Styleguide ...
30
votes
1answer
287 views
Static analysis of LaTeX documents?
For programming languages like C, C++, C#, Java and so on there always exist some kind of static analysers, tools that check the sourcecode for unreachable code, unused variables, memory leaks and ...
28
votes
8answers
891 views
Prerequisites for using LaTeX efficiently
I am a student (still in high school) who wants to start using LaTeX more regularly, however, I have on major problem: I know nothing about computer science or computer programming. And I mean ...
26
votes
7answers
2k views
File extensions of LaTeX-related files
In addition to the .tex and .dvi or .pdf files, TeX/LaTeX/ConTeXt produces and uses lots of other files. What do they do? Which ones are used to create the document and which ones are automatically ...
26
votes
5answers
737 views
When does it make sense to use TeX only and skip LaTeX?
In what applications doesn't LaTeX give you much?
26
votes
3answers
889 views
Why are there lowercase letters in TeX and LaTeX?
Notice that the letters here are all uppercase. Is there any reason why we write TeX and LaTeX respectively? Is it for emphasis? Or does it just make it look similar to the staggered lettering of ...
26
votes
2answers
2k views
Submitting a journal article as a single tex file
Although many academic journals readily accept submissions in some format of TeX, indeed some enlightened ones insist on it, it is rare that one can simply send exactly the same document that one has ...
25
votes
2answers
313 views
List of agreed transliterations for TeX related logos for ebook publications?
Addison-Wesley is currently looking at providing an ebook version of The LaTeX Companion and while this is fairly simple if one provides it as a PDF document, any reflowable format, such as epub, ...
24
votes
5answers
3k views
What is the correct pronunciation of TeX and LaTeX?
Is it tex(tech)?
Or
Is it tex(like touch)?
Lay-TeX?
or
La-TeX?
Should I use TeX pronunciation in LaTeX?
24
votes
3answers
992 views
Is it still worth it to learn TeX?
I think I've reached the stage to where I can't get any better at producing documents that look the way I want them to unless I put serious effort into learning how to write the kind of ...
22
votes
2answers
1k views
5 year time bomb in LaTeX-Distributions?
There is a very weird thing: Five years after installation or release, TeX in various distributions seems to refuse to compile for no other reason than being old.
We've had a question here this ...
21
votes
3answers
8k views
Why is LaTeX used as the defacto standard for math equations?
In almost every application I've ever seen that uses math equations, it always supports LaTeX.
If LaTeX does so much more than just math equations, why is it the defacto standard for math equations? ...
21
votes
5answers
2k views
Would using LaTex instead of LibreOffice benefit me for writing my dissertation?
I am a complete LaTeX/TeX novice. I know nothing about it and have never used it. I have been reading about it today as it was been recommended to me but I can't work out if it is suitable for my use ...
21
votes
3answers
5k views
Difference between LaTeX, LaTeX2e, LaTeX3 ?
I was wondering, what is the difference between LaTeX, LaTeX2e and LaTeX3. Are the 2 higher versions available for use? I use LaTeX. How can I use the other 2 on Windows 7?
21
votes
6answers
635 views
LaTeX Markup Options?
I was wondering what prevented the implementation of a MarkDown system in (La)TeX? I know that pandoc does a conversion of MarkDown with extra features to LaTeX. I also know that many are happy with ...
20
votes
5answers
1k views
What is missing in LaTeX?
I have been reading this article and started to think about the position of LaTeX amongst the current competitors. Currently, I am using it (or XeTeX) even for ‘casual writing’ and sometimes I spend ...
20
votes
5answers
1k views
Is there a comprehensive and complete LaTeX reference?
When I dived into Python, I went through the beginner's tutorials. Of course, these tutorials cover only the basics and present only a shallow exhibition of what I can do with Python.
Right now I'm ...
18
votes
5answers
2k views
LaTeX architecture - how does it all work?
I'm interested in the general application architecture, how it hangs together. I know it was originally written by Knuth, and it's clear others can write plugin packages to achieve certain things, but ...
16
votes
2answers
3k views
Diagram / Infographic of TeX & friends?
So, I recently delved into LaTeX for a project at work. But I’m come from the XML+XSL world, and some of LaTeX’s design is kind of difficult for me to grok.
(I’m not interested in debating the ...
16
votes
1answer
921 views
Does a tool exist which can take a LaTeX equation and convert it to a format suitable for evaluation in Wolfram's Mathematica?
I use LaTeX to type up my homework, but as I work I often need to pop things into Mathematica (or manually type them in, or manually use my Ti-89, etc)
Currently, I've been manually translating ...
16
votes
2answers
417 views
Write new package with LaTeX2e or LaTeX3
I’m planning to create a package and I wonder if it’s better do do this with LaTeX3 syntax or the „old“ LaTeX2e, which is the one I know.
Will LaTeX2e packages be supported by LaTeX3?
I can give ...
16
votes
1answer
671 views
What are the differences between TeX counts and LaTeX counters?
The title already states the whole question. It has been answered by Joseph Wright at http://www.texdev.net/2009/11/17/tex-counts-and-latex-counters/, but I have not seen the according answer here at ...
15
votes
6answers
1k views
Creating Table: On Mastering LaTeX
Guys, I am one the process of mastering LaTeX, so that later when times come I shall be fully prepared to typeset almost anything without thinking twice. So during this awesome process, I am now ...
15
votes
2answers
584 views
Get certified in TeX/LaTeX
I was wondering if there are any ways to get certified in TeX/LaTeX?
This would be useful, e.g., for providing a way of quantifying the expertise someone has with TeX, LaTeX or other TeX flavors.
15
votes
4answers
490 views
Why is LaTeX separated into many thousands of packages?
This question might belong elsewhere but I figured if I posted it here I might come across someone that deals behind the scenes of LaTeX. I'm an assistant Linux Admin at my school and we install LaTeX ...
15
votes
2answers
463 views
Is TeX as word and logo a trade mark?
A few days ago I talked with someone about writing a book about TeX and we came to the question if TeX as a word and its Logo (and the related things like LaTeX, XeTeX, …, package names etc.) are ...
15
votes
2answers
323 views
Using TeX in a report generator - Legal question
I would like to be able to generate a (dynamic) report automatically using TeX. My proposed solution is simple: A user clicks a button and
The apropriate TeX code is generated (on runtime) and saved ...
