TeX is basically a high powered macro processor. It comes with a
plain set of macros that are fairly physical oriented. LaTeX is more
logically oriented set of macros. Same core processor. For document
classes LaTeX supports, it is much easier to use. For things it
doesn't, like resumes, TeX is easier to use. Having used TeX/LaTeX
for over a decade, I find the integration in Linux very nice (font
bitmaps are generated automagically, where to put local extensions
fairly obvious, support in Emacs, etc.).
There was a limited time port of FrameMaker to Linux. They decided
not to market it. I suspect a cracked version (with the limited time
taken out) is available on the Internet somewhere.
For perspective on my perspective, the largest LaTeX document I have
written is 180 pages (my dreams for a year, with ToC and index). The
largest FM document is probably around 60 pages (Lockheed-Martin's
proposal for Realtime CORBA). MS Word has shot me in the foot every
time I have been forced to use it for anything larger than a 2 page
letter.
I am a software engineer and part time writer. I am shift to be a
full-time writer in the near future.
HTH,
Jeffrey
Quoting Kevin McLauchlan
Thanks very much. With all the info and options out there, it's nice to hear from people who have some experience with the various systems.
I've met the "features" you mention with Word -- though it's certainly more robust than it used to be... as long as you don't try to use that Master docs feature. Frame is a rock. Almost never breaks, and if it does, you just ask it to fix itself, and it does. :-)
But, Frame is not going to be ported to Linux and I'm trying to escape Windoze. I kept hearing about how various word processors on Linux have finally "arrived", and I want to believe it. And then I try them, only to find out that an enthusiast's understanding of "arrived" is a lot more forgiving and a lot less demanding than mine -- where it's my livelihood.
Both Docbook and TeX/LaTeX are sounding quite interesting (I just ordered the O'Reilly book about Docbook). What's with TeX and LaTeX? I had always thought that TeX was the original, crusty, unfriendly thing and LaTeX was somebody's user-friendlier version of same... sorta vi and vim ... assembler and BASIC.... ?
/kevin
On Wed, 2002-03-27 at 22:53, Jeffrey Taylor wrote:
Last time I tried it, MS Word did not have most of these features. Large documents frequently corrupt themselves. Changing a style requires touching every use of it to update. Hyphenation is manual. Justification sucks. Diagrams are not portable between Mac and PC versions. Etc. Word is not capable of handling real documents. Great for cranking out font laden memos and letters, though.
Framemaker is written for creating large, complex documents. And has the learning curve to go with it. If you can learn Frame Maker, you can learn TeX or LaTeX. The TeX book by Knuth, the original LaTeX by Leslie Lamport, and "A Guide to LaTeX2e" by Kopka and Daly are all excellent technical guides.
DocBook has approximately the same amount of learning. But TeX/LaTeX is a more mature technology and the software is better integrated. And TeX/LaTeX is much better than anything besides a live, experienced human being at producing beautifully laid out typesetting.