🚀 go-pugleaf

Some people argue that with mark up systems (tex, troff, etc.) you can
do things like automatic numbering of sections, figures, etc. or do
global reformatting via macros (for example, change all section heads
to use a different font).  This may still be mostly true but I suspect
as time goes by the wysiwyg systems will start allowing you to do this
as well.  In fact, I would guess that in time they will allow you to
do everything that you can do in tex.  Therefore, to me the more
important issues are

(1) With a wysiwyg system you are constantly made aware of the
formatting; some would say that you are being distracted by the
formatting.  During the writing you should only be worrying about the
content and leave worrying about the appearance until just before the
final draft.

(2) Wysiwyg systems tend to be system-specific.  You probably can
transport a Microsoft Word document between a PC and a Mac if both run
Word but you probably won't be able to transport it to a Unix machine.
But maybe Microsoft will come out with Word for Unix and then you can
pay Big Bux for it for that machine as well.

For a lot of people item 2 probably doesn't matter.  That's fine with
me, but they should be aware of it.  For a lot of other people item 1
is a very emotional issue.  Many people who have used a wysiwyg system
just can't understand how anybody would want to use a mark up system.
They think that you are giving up so much with a mark up system.  I
find it hard to discuss with them.  So I try not to get into arguments
with them over it; if they're happy with what they're using then
that's great.  I'm just glad that they're not using a typewriter.
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	rusty c. wright
	rusty@violet.berkeley.edu ucbvax!violet!rusty