Texstudio allows you to create documents using LaTeX.
In technology, as in politics or in football, there are passions. Whether it's a club, an ideology, or an operating system, there are bound to be people who either love it or hate it. In a comment one reader complained that I did not propose to LaTeX as an alternative to InDesign.
Writing an article implies take decisions. What differentiates a blog from an encyclopedia is that one has a word limit. Nor can a certain subjective component be ruled out. It is inevitable that likes and dislikes, familiarity or unfamiliarity do your part. Hence, we have a comment form for you to mark the errors or suggest alternatives.
The free software community versus proprietary software
There is a certain tendency in the free software community to look at the navel. We have on the one hand those who arenot knowing in depth neither proprietary software nor free software strictly defend the second for the mere fact of being free. A second group he knows free software thoroughly but did not bother to analyze its proprietary counterpart. It is also not interested in the specific needs of each user group.
And finally there is the third, made up of those who recognize that there is proprietary software that is superior to its open source counterpart, but for ideological reasons it should not be used. I had my first encounter with these people when commenting that as a visually impaired I had to maintain Windows. I needed to use a certain word recognition software and on Linux there was no viable option, they suggested that I get someone to read to me.
Anyway, my obligation is to verify the claim that LaTeX is valid as a viable alternative to Adobe InDesign. Or, to write properly, if any of the open source programs that create LaTeX documents is an option to consider.
Having laid the cards on the table, it is time to introduce the protagonists.
LaTeX
LaTeX is un text composition system aimed at creating documents where typographic quality is an important requirement. It is mainly used in scientific documents that make intensive use of mathematical expressions.
Unlike traditional word processors, built on the "what you see is what you get" principle, LaTeX it is based on instructions.
Along with its ability to faithfully reproduce equations, complicated formulas, scientific and musical notation, it allows easily structure the text into chapters, sections, notes, bibliography, analytical indexes, etc.).
Stages of creating a document using LaTeX
In the first stage, the text is created along with instructions on how to represent it.
In the second, the text instructions are interpreted by the compiler who leaves the document ready to be sent to the printer.
the output it offers is always the same, regardless of the device (printer, display, etc.) or the operating system. The result can be exported to numerous formats such as Postscript, PDF, SGML, HTML, RTF, etc.
Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign is a program for creating posts on the desktop. Allows create both printed documents and static and interactive digital documents.
Instead of using instructions as in the case of LaTeX, the different parts of the document are placed in the corresponding place using the mouse.< To digital files Audio, video, presentations and animations can be incorporated. Results can be exported to PDF, EPUB and HTML.
We had said before that the output that LaTeX offers is always the same regardless of the device. Adobe InDesign allows different layouts and color profiles depending on the output. They can also be adapted to different screen sizes.
Is it an alternative or not?
Scribus allows you to create print and electronic publications.
It depends on the preferences of each one. When I wrote the article, the idea was to suggest programs that would perform similar functions in a similar way. In that sense LaTeX document editing programs don't fit as InDesign uses visual layout instead of instructions. That is why my recommendation was Scribus. Incidentally, Scribus can embed LaTeX documents.
Another thing is that someone thinks that diagramming using commands is better than doing it by dragging text boxes or dialogues.
I am not suggesting that proprietary software is better than open source. HTML5, Javascript, and CSS3 can do wonders for creating interactive documents. And you only need the text editors from your favorite distribution.
The moral is that To defend open source we need not only to know it, but also to know the proprietary one. And above all respect the needs and preferences of other users, without trying to impose ours on them.
Hi, I'm going to take the dare to flag an error:
The user who made the comment in the other post, did not complain because you have not proposed LaTeX as an alternative, but what he did was add his list of alternatives, and note that the title of that post was missing something that would indicate that those alternatives, they were your alternatives.
wcd6
Thanks for reading.
I wrote an answer in the original.
And as you write well, I suggested in the conditional using the expression «I would add» and not in the imperative or the indicative as the title we can - and we could not - pray.
What is not important if it is a slip of the tongue, and even less if it tries to be exclusive of those mentioned and / or exclusive of those forgotten by choice or ignorance.
Here I am simply writing to emphasize that we must read before we write as our tutors constantly repeat to us researchers.
Lyx at FOSS and Bakoma paying, and not a little, are graphic editors for LATEX, which has been used to professionally layout newspapers, magazines and print material PROFESSIONALLY since the lead was abandoned.
In other words, using LATEX is not linked to not using graphic editors in this case, in addition, both WYSIWYG with enough precision.
And there are many conversion tools to and from LATEX, usually external, because LATEX is used for LAYOUT, that is, for the document to be printed in a publication or printing material with precision.
PS: I also use Scribus and Inkscape, which depending on the job or its phase are complementary tools and prior to using Lyx for scientific articles and / or print jobs.
The good thing about Latex is free and has thousands of options,
But, unless you do something very basic, sticking to a template, you will have to search the Internet thousands of times how to do what you want, you have to configure a lot of things and it is never exactly how you want.
I have written my thesis in Latex, and had used it before for several shit. I have done the thesis in 4 years and I could say that of them I have dedicated 4 full months to Latex, which is too much.
Talking about <> talking about free or proprietary software is equivalent to being in times of slavery and saying that we must respect those who own slaves, since we must not impose our vision of things. Either we fight for what we believe in or we are just lukewarm. And history proves that the lukewarm are swept away, from one extreme or the other. Amen.