[Blindmath] Latex creation tools

[Michael Whapples]

MathType is a very different product to things like WinEdit and 
TexnicCenter. The LaTeX input mode of MathType is just one way of 
creating a equation with MathType, it does not use the full LaTeX 
compiler and so only recognises some LaTeX. Also with MathType one is 
only creating the equations with MathType and then inserting them into 
other applications.

With LaTeX editors such as TeXnicCenter or WinEdit one is writing a full 
LaTeX document and compiling it with a LaTeX compiler, they are simply a 
helpful tool in writing LaTeX documents, one is having to deal with 
standard LaTeX and all that involves.

MathType is normally good for those who want quick returns, this is 
because one only need learn some of the LaTeX notation for writing 
equations, the rest of the document is written using Microsoft Word, 
which most students should be familiar with already.

LaTeX does have some neat and powerful features, but it does mean 
learning quite a bit of stuff as one is writing the whole document in 
LaTeX. Thus I would only recommend it to those who feel they want to 
invest time in learning a tool for authoring documents.

You mention that you feel that MathType might not be so good for someone 
who cannot see to use the LaTeX mode. If using MathType with word, one 
can simply write an equation in LaTeX mid-document by surrounding it 
with dollar signs (eg. $y = x^2$) and then select the equation and press 
alt+\ to convert the equation into a MathType object. Admittedly if you 
make a mistake in the LaTeX one does not get any warning about this when 
using a screen reader, but I do feel it is much easier to get the LaTeX 
notation correct when using MathType as the notation will normally be 
simpler (due to it only being a single equation and also as one can only 
use a subset of LaTeX). One probably could pick up when an equation is 
not right if exporting the document to a math page with MathML, but that 
would probably be something one might do occasionally rather than 
everytime they write an equation.

Michael Whapples
On 09/07/2013 16:38, Paul Chapin wrote:
> I'm looking at a tool for a blind user to write latex.  I've been looking at MathType, WinEdit and TeXnicCenter.  As a sighted user I like MathType since it allows me to simply enter the latex necessary for the equation and then drop the result into Word. The problem is that it doesn't look like a good tool for a blind user to locate and correct Latex problems. I can't say I see much difference between the other two.  Both are looking for complete document definitions in Latex and require a couple of extra steps to generate a document, but they both generate nice error lists and would be relatively easy to edit. Am I missing anything?
>
> Paul Chapin
> Academic Technology Specialist
> Amherst College
>
> Amherst College IT staff will never ask for your password, including by email. Any email asking for any password or username is almost certainly bogus. Never click on a link in an email to a site that requires a login as the link may be bogus. Type in the address yourself. Please keep your passwords private to protect yourself and the security of our network.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Blindmath mailing list
> Blindmath at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Blindmath:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/mwhapples%40aim.com