Re:Ask HN: Examples of reliable software you enjoy using
by lucb1e on Wednesday June 29, 2016 @07:16AM
(#12000831)
I fully understand where you're coming from. Its syntax is weird at times and everything has to be magically done with yet another package, very few things seem to be built in.
On the other hand, I don't know another environment that makes it as easy as LaTeX makes it. Markdown is easier but far from powerful enough; HTML is nowhere near as easy and just not really made for it; and WYSIWYG editors just suck as a whole. LaTeX seemed to me as everything I was looking for, even if the syntax and methods are from the eighties.
Additionally, enough people use it that support is also not an issue. There are almost certainly other languages that do a similar job in a modern way, but the thing is, my girlfriend studies math and she can read/write these documents too. The network effect works in LaTeX' favor here.
On the other hand, I don't know another environment that makes it as easy as LaTeX makes it. Markdown is easier but far from powerful enough; HTML is nowhere near as easy and just not really made for it; and WYSIWYG editors just suck as a whole. LaTeX seemed to me as everything I was looking for, even if the syntax and methods are from the eighties.
Additionally, enough people use it that support is also not an issue. There are almost certainly other languages that do a similar job in a modern way, but the thing is, my girlfriend studies math and she can read/write these documents too. The network effect works in LaTeX' favor here.