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Conference rusure::math

Title:Mathematics at DEC
Moderator:RUSURE::EDP
Created:Mon Feb 03 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2083
Total number of notes:14613

1412.0. "Algebraic Editor???" by CASDEV::SALOIS (can't get no fancy notes... ��� ) Wed Apr 03 1991 15:29

    
    I hope this is the appropriate place to ask....
    
    I have scanned through the directory of the conference, looked at 
    the keyword entries, but still haven't found what I'm looking for.
    
    In essence, I am looking for an editor application, such as EVE or
    EDT, etc. that will allow me to create algebraic symbols such as 
    square root, exponentials, and especially fractions!  Right now, I
    can create � and � characters, but would like to be able to create
    a fraction like 45/47ths.  Also one that allowed me to create a
    division symbol and not the / key.... which can get confusing using
    fractions.
    
    This is not for figuring out the algebra problems, but more for 
    creating a report that has algebraic symbols within it...
    
    Any ideas??
    
    Much thanks in advance,
    
    
    Gene
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1412.1DECwrite sounds rightCIVAGE::LYNNLynn Yarbrough @WNP DTN 427-5663Wed Apr 03 1991 18:123
I'm not immediately aware of an editor, but PostScript will produce what 
you want with relatively little effort. Try DECwrite, which will produce 
PS, and the PS Viewer.
1412.2hmm... now where did that microvax go..???CASDEV::SALOIScan't get no fancy notes... ��� Thu Apr 04 1991 09:215
    
    
    thanks!  I'll check it out....
    
    Gene
1412.3one way to get nice math editingHANNAH::OSMANsee HANNAH::IGLOO$:[OSMAN]ERIC.VT240Thu Apr 04 1991 14:3237
<comment>

	This note is an example of how to get nice-looking math output.

	To see the example, first make sure DOCUMENT is installed on your
	system.

	Put this entire note (including this comment) into a file
	called FOO.SDML.  Compile it by saying

		$ document foo.sdml report ps/noprint

	Then print the result with this command:

		$ print foo.ps/param=data=ps

	You should see a nicely formatted:

			E(x)
		H(f) =  ----           jwt
			E(0)   E(0) = e

                        yx
		     = e

	Did it work for you ?

<endcomment>

<math>
<eqalign>
<eline>(H(f)\=
<GROUP>(<LBAR><GROUP>(<FRACTION>(E(x)\E(0)))<RBAR>
<SUBSCRIPT>(E(0)=e<SUPERSCRIPT>(j<MATH_CHAR>(OMEGA)t))))
<Eline>(\=<GROUP>(e<SUPERSCRIPT>(-<MATH_CHAR>(GAMMA)x)))
<endeqalign>
<ENDMATH>
1412.4symbolic math editorsSMAUG::ABBASIThu Apr 04 1991 15:087
    the direction is going to 'what you see is what you get' type of
    editors, there are few such editors that support math symbols i've
    seen in the back of some pc-magazines. I dont know how good they
    are.
    /naser
    
    
1412.5eqn and ditroff on unixTOOK::CBRADLEYChuck BradleyThu Apr 04 1991 16:094
if you have access to a unix/ultrix system, you can try eqn or neqn,
used with nroff/troff/ditroff to construct nice looking papers containing
math notation.  i used eqn and ditroff recently and got very nice results.
they are not wysiwyg.
1412.6FYI, AMIpro edito, equation editorSTAR::ABBASIi^(-i) = SQRT(exp(PI))Thu Jun 18 1992 16:5776
    
    -- also posted in MAPLE
     
    if you want an good euqation editor, then look at AMIpro editor,
    it is a general purpose edito (one of the best), and included in it
    an equation editor, every thing is what you see what you get type
    of editr, you can add diagrams etc.. 
    
    it runs on windows/DOS (may be they have MAC version too)
    
    any way, the deal is every DEC employee can buy it (among other
    products, see below) at great discounts) i just got mine in the mail
    it cost $75 including shipping. usual price i've seen for AMIpro is
    $290.
    
    the info is below.
    
    /nasser
================================================================================
Note 1412.0       Employee Purchase Program for Lotus Products           1 reply
TODD::WARNOCK "I'm pink, therefore I'm Spam."        51 lines  10-JUN-1992 17:48
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Gary E. Haffer
Subject: Employee Purchase of Lotus Software at reduced Prices
Date : This offer starts on June 2, 1992

As of June 2, 1992, all Digital employees are able to purchase Lotus software
at the reduced price of 15% of Lotus's suggested list price. All Lotus upgrade
packages will be offered at 50% of Lotus's suggested list price. In order to
take advantage of this offer Digital employees should call:

                       1-800-343-5414

Digital employees will be asked to provide Digital employee number and form
of payment. Lotus will accept Master Card, VISA, ect. for payment. For those
individuals that will want to pay by personal check please call the 800 number
to make the necessary arrangements. 

Here is a sample list of Lotus products and the Digital employee prices. This
offer is good for ALL Lotus products except upgrades (upgrades are at 50% of
Lotus's suggested list price). This offer good only in the US.

Note: ALL UPGRADES ARE AVIALABLE TO DIGITAL EMPLOYEES AT 50% OF LOTUS LIST
      PRICE.

Product                   Lotus List Price       Digital Employee Price
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lotus 1-2-3 version 2.4      $495                     $74.25
Lotus 1-2-3 version 2.3      $495                     $74.25
Lotus 1-2-3 version 3.1+     $595                     $89.25
Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows      $595                     $89.25
Lotus 1-2-3 for Macintosh    $495                     $74.25
Lotus Agenda                 $395                     $59.25
Lotus Freelance Graphics/Win $495                     $74.25
Lotus Freelance Graphics/DOS $495                     $74.25
Lotus Ami Pro for Windows    $495                     $74.25
Lotus Smart Suite            $795                    $119.25
Lotus Symphony ver 2.2       $595                     $89.25
Lotus Smart PICS             $199                     $29.85
Freelance Maps US & Util.    $395                     $59.25
Magellan ver. 2.0            $139                     $20.85

NOTE: THESE PRICES APPLY TO US ORDERS ONLY!!!

All upgrade products are 50% of Lotus's suggested list price for Digital
employees.

**** If you have any questions about products that do not appear on this 
     list please call the 800 number to get clarification from Lotus not
     Digital. Lotus will do everything to help you with your order. ****

This offer is open to all Digital employees in the continential US only!
   

    
1412.7about science\math editors STAR::ABBASIiam your friendly psychic hotlineSun Dec 27 1992 15:4486
    these are some about sci\math word processing systems ,
    i have used only few of these, TeX s the most powerfull, but you
    have to learn it, and unless you have more time and very patient and
    dont mind the nitty gritty of coding TeX, you might not like it.

    - TeX and LaTeX  and AmsTeX macro packages built on top of it.
    - AMIpro has an equations editor, as well as Micorsoft word, both are
      WYSWYG. but teh output is not written to a TeX file. they have each
      their own format file.
    - ChiWriter , about $300
    - EXP
    - Expressionest 
    - Scintific word, from what I was told and seen, this is supposed to
      be one of the best, costs $600, this one generates TeX file, i.e. you
      work on semi WYSWYG screen editor, and the output is written
      into a file in TeX langauge, this way you can mail you TeX (which
      is plain text file) easly. 
      this is few info on sci. word I got from some people on the net
      who use it: (ps. do you use this one? if so how do you like it?)
    
Subj:	Re: seeking opinions about Scientific Word software and its TeX output

I've had SW on my computer since last May, but haven't used it too much, although
I have done so recently.  I like the interface.  It is a pleasure to work with.
You can pull down math symbols from dropdown menus, but much more efficient is
the ability to invoke a symbols keyboard by doing control-s and then typing a 1,
for example, to get a right arrow.  This is very efficient.  And of course one
gets a latex file underlying it with no errors in it!

On the down side though is the fact that it is not completely pure latex, so 
exchanging files with pure latex is next to impossible without some editing, and
unfortunately they haven't spelled out the differences.  Also it is not easy
to import new fonts (such as the 
AMS symbols) - I'm getting some help from them now via email to do this, but
still haven't been successful.  

In spite of these drawbacks, I intend to go on using it (I also use ordinary\
latex, but don't like the sight of all those backslashes on the screen...  the
SW screen is really lovely).

Newsgroups: comp.text.tex
From: [email protected] (Jeffrey Bolden)
Subject: Re: seeking opinions about Scientific Word software and its TeX output
Sender: [email protected]
Organization: University of North Carolina
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 14:58:55 GMT
Lines: 60
 
	Yes I've been using it.  It seems to have all of the capacity of
LaTeX under an experienced TeX user (that is for a beginer).  Basically it
is a scientific word processor that translates a document into TeX.  The
word processor itself is very powerful.  As an example they work out all
of the examples proving the power of TeX in "The TeX book" and "The Joy of
TeX".  All of these except one (the cummative diagram) could be done
without directly entering any TeX code.  Further, it rather easy to enter
these (the whole slew of examples probably would have taken 2 hours to
enter for someone who had never used TeX and had had maybe 10 minutes of
intsruction on Sci. Word).
	The biggest advantage though is the document templates.  The
actual symbols part of TeX is not hard to learn.  However, based upon the
questions here formating TeX takes people forever.  Sci Word ships with
prebuilt templates for the major forms of technical documnet writting
(Journal articles, tests, Springar-Varlag book form.....).   This part is
ab it complicated but much, much easier than doing it by hand. 
Incidentally in your question you referred to this as a WYSISYG word
processor, it is not, it is close to being one; but it automates the
processs of document formating to the point that WYSIWYG would be a
hinderance not a help.  For a good analogy look at Ventura Publisher for
Windows.
	Now the downside.  Sci-Word supports an unusually small number of
printers.  I don't know if it supports external drivers or not, however if
you have a Hewlet-Packard Laser, or Post Script you'll be OK, other than
that you have a few (literally) other drivers.  In addition this package
is very slow.  On a 386sx-16 (6 megs) a secratery was able to out run the
keyboard.  On a 386-40 (8 megs) while there were no problems with document
production printing is intoleragly slow (though this may be somewhat the
fault of being forced to use a less than optimal printer driver). 
Basically I can't recommend this package unless you have at least a 386DX.
 Finally there are some compatability problems with other TeX documents. 
The manual describes the process for sending a TeX doucment (unless you'd
be doing it regularly its not worth the trouble).  As for recieving, I've
tried 2 documents and one worked.  Take that for what its worth.  Of
course you could always ship out a .dvi file, and keep another TeX around
for printing other peoples documents.
	Well if you need to know anything else, just ask.