[geeks] Learning TeX

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Mon, 29 Apr 2002, Dave Kimmel wrote:

> Does anyone know of any good resources for learning TeX?  Also, is it
> better to use straight TeX and gradually build up my own macros, or should
> I use something like LaTeX right from the start?

I think it depends on what you want to do with TeX.  Raw TeX and LaTeX,
while related (the latter being implemented in the former) are completely
different in paradigm.  Raw TeX is all about the exact positioning of
glyphs on paper, and happens to contain the best paragraph-justification
algorithm in the business.  LaTeX is all about getting work done in a
sensible way, without having to muck about with typography, text flow, and
all that.

So, if you want to replace your word processor with TeX, LaTeX (combined
with BibTeX) will do everything you ever wanted and will take all the
details off your mind.  You can throw in little arcane bits of TeX here
and there to implement your own custom counters, decorated margin notes,
or whatever, but LaTeX will do just about everything that you'd want to do
in a sensible document.  Combine it with xfig[1], gimp, and transfig, and
you've got all the power you'll need to put all sorts of interesting ink
patterns on paper.

If you want all the power (and presentational compexities) of your own
lead-type printing press, you probably want to learn raw TeX.
Implementing your own LaTeX-like macros in raw TeX is quite an
undertaking.

I'd suggest you start by learning LaTeX (Lamport's book (with TeTeX's
local guide by its side) is an -excellent- starting place).  As you become
familiar with it, start implementing toys in raw TeX.  When you don't need
LaTeX anymore, you'll know both. :)

--Jonathan
[1] A PITA to use at first, but it does lovely diagrams.  I wish I had an
AutoCAD workalike for Unix, though.