RE: [Fhsst-authors] Discussion with Yochai

[Harrigan, Nicholas A M]

Does the latex availability really have to be an issue? I agree that latex is a 
skill well worth acquiring, but if people are being assigned tasks to edit all 
submitted text anyway, and since (it being high-school level education) there 
are a minimal number of equations, then can't people write in word if they so 
desire and then the editors copy and past the text and translate equations into 
tex? Also, figures could be produced in any package so desired and then 
re-exported as eps using photoshop (as long as there are guidelines to maintain 
consistency in figure layout).
 
Nic.
 

________________________________

From: address@hidden on behalf of Roger L. Sieloff
Sent: Sun 31/07/2005 15:07
To: A general discussion list for contributors
Subject: RE: [Fhsst-authors] Discussion with Yochai




My last post was not an attempt to discourage anyone from using the latex
authoring tool but was more of a concerned responce to what I've read (and
not read) concerning this project. I wrote an essay which was received well
but needed graphics. I then provided the graphics, got another letter of
thanks and then no further contact whatsoever. The next few letters were
what I assumed was one of the project directors who appeared to be lamenting
he had no experience with latex. Assumptions and impressions led me to
believe this project was in serious trouble and I felt oblidged to help by
offering a couple suggestions.

It dosen't matter to me what tools are used in this project, actually. If
I'm at fault for anything it was not reading the project guidelines. This
all appears to be an internet based resource, but the emphasis on latex
makes me think the end result is going to be printed classroom material.

I downloaded the latex package and got it up and running on my Windows XP
system with few problems. Its only use has been as a plugin for a software
code documentation system known as DoxyGen. I'm famaliar with what I call
"script based text formatting languages". I used one in 1992 and got rather
good, but then Microsoft introduced its true type fonts and eventually
developed the Office package and the rest is history of course. HTML seems
to me to be the internet equivalent of latex as both appear to be script
based. However, Microsoft has a nice package called Front Page which makes
HTML very easy to deal with. I know of no tool for latex, but honestly, I
don't use it very often.

Might I suggest setting up something in Microsoft Word and then using the
Adobe Post Script package as an intermediary between Microsoft and latex? I
believe latex has an EPS import feature and if this transformation from DOC
to EPS to latex preforms as it should, then I would say the bulk of the job
is done. At this point I would simply "tweak" latex until the document is
properly formatted.

If this project is going to be internet based (but provides downloadable
materials in latex format), there are a whole host of wonderful web
authoring tools available to add alot of interest and beauty to your web
site. Front Page express is the easiest and cheapest (its now part of the XP
package) but the ultimate tool appears to be Macromedia Flash. To see what
this software is capable of, link to rathergood.com which features music
videos which were assembled with this package. "Looking for my leopard" is
especially entertaining. Unfortunately, all this power comes at quite a
price. The SDK (software development kit) is nearly 1000 dollars, but I saw
something on EBay offered for 300. I'm seriously concidering getting my
hands on this software.

Roger L. Sieloff




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