LaTeX vs. Word: The ease of getting started with Word
Microsoft Word is the market giant in the Office products and certainly one of the most successful and best developments of the Software company. This is due not least to the beginner-friendliness.
- First of all the Word is in the first use, much easier than LaTeX. After the simple Installation, you can open your first document and you are ready to write simple.
- The WYSIWYG principle is essential: you will see the document exactly as it is in the end also will be shown. All of the design settings, such as bold Text.
- However, this WYSIWYG is a Word and related programs is also often a fallacy. You open the same Word file on a different computer, you can look sometimes different.
- Nevertheless, the Word scores with the simple entry and ease-of-use of the basic functions.
- Simple Layout Changes, tables and graphs are created with a few clicks and look at least halfway professional.
- In LaTeX you have, depending on the Editor Buttons for such basic functions, but generally not as clearly as in Word. In addition, the document is enriched with Code and for a beginner very confused.
- In addition to the simple basic functions, Word offers a large number of professional Tools that let you excellent create documents. Here it needs but, as with LaTeX and also a lot of training time to be able to have the potential to really take advantage of.
- Essential in comparison with LaTeX, the question of scientific functions. Also the Word, but the formula Editor is rather weak - it is also simpler than the LaTeX entry. If you want to just write for the fun of a mathematical formula, it is not enough, certainly, serious scientific Work they create, but in General.
- The Trend to Open-Source Alternatives clearly shows that the Word is not very compatible to alternative Office Suites , and even different versions of Word can lead to problems. The WYSIWYG System cancels out somewhat.
- And all of this doesn't come to that yet, that Word is cheap: For the 2016 Version, you pay for the time a mere 80 euros.
Formulas better in LaTeX than in Word
LaTeX vs. Word: a Flexible and scientifically with LaTeX
LaTeX does not have a huge Software company in the back, grows but more flexible in many directions by the active Community. Here are many advanced Users, however, are not without reason, active.
- LaTeX' biggest weakness is, of course, that they should deal from the outset with the System and the Editor, if you want more than just the simple-to-use functions.
- For a LaTeX document, you need not need a mouse, as you write, every Design decision as the Code in your Text, but there are also few simple functions which do this work for you.
- The Installation is a bit more complicated than in Word. Even if there are templates, with which you can quite easily, for example, letters can create, is not worth the effort probably, if you are going to only the.
- Unlike Word you don't see immediately how your Writing looks, but need to generate the Code of a document as a PDF. It can quickly lead to errors if you are not yet familiar with the TeX structure. Tip: LyX receives LaTeX is a user-friendly interface.
- Once you have overcome this initial hurdle, however, is the Layout of the LaTeX is not only fundamentally more professional than Word, but far more flexible.
- If you're familiar enough, you can learn LaTeX so deep into the sources as you want, and everything to suit your needs.
- The LaTeX Community is doing this already for quite some time, so that there is, especially in the scientific needs supplements for everything you can imagine - and a very active community that is available to you in case of doubt questions you may have.
- The extensive possibilities for literature directories, for example. Many large publications have a Citation Standard, you can import your sources simple.
- In addition, you will be able to implement with LaTeX practically every scientific formula, which is why the program is an essential tool for many researchers, but also engineers and related groups.
- Something Special is that you can draw directly in the Text with commands. This starts with the simplest of drawings, and may end up in the Orgy of charts and Plots. On this outstanding System alone whole books can be written.
- LaTeX is suitable because of its structuring opportunities and performance management are also excellent for very long documents. It remains efficient, fast and reliable.
- In addition, LaTeX is the same as the corresponding editors, free of charge. A good program is, for example, Texmaker.
- Thus, while in principle anyone can make a LaTeX Editor, have to stay here now, the Problem is that many can't handle it. There is, therefore, especially compatibility problems on the User side.
LaTeX vs. Word: Heavy entry
