[BlindMath] What is your experience reading LaTeX source?

[Aqil Sajjad]

Ok, I should have phrased that 'bottom line' sentence slightly 
differently. But the overall point is still fully valid. I am a research 
level blind physicist and read papers from arxiv all the time. And most 
of the time I am able to do this either with zero or minimal time wasted 
on reading or editing the original LaTex code. The reason: I choose to 
work with technology that allows me to do this.

Yes, several blind mathematicians read LaTex code directly. But that 
hardly means it is not a very inefficient way to read math. There is a 
reason why sighted people generally read the compiled pdf instead of 
reading the LaTex source code directly. The difference is like going to 
a website and reading the html source code with all the formatting junk 
instead of reading the actual website on display. One can of course read 
the source code but one wouldn't normally do that as a first choice 
unless one really has to. And this isn't merely a matter of personal 
preference but has to do with the fact that if you have to read through 
all those formatting commands which aren't related to the content, then 
it's distracting and makes reading inefficient.

Now, coming to the point about the inability of LaTex to MathML 
converters to cleanly produce good MathML without requiring one to edit 
the source code. I haven't worked with MathMl conversion because I 
haven't been able to get one working, honestly. I have however done some 
experimentation with LaTex to MathType convertors, and yes, the results 
are mixed. It's true that things don't always convert well to Math Type 
without having to edit the source code. But then this only means that 
these tools aren't quite there yet despite all the excessive hype around 
MathML and Math Type on these forums. It does not mean that reading 
LaTex directly should be the way to go.

As I I wrote in the previous e-mail, I use an old tool called 
WinTriangle for reading LaTex documents because it allows conversion to 
a clutter-free format with much less work. Yes, I do have to edit the 
source code sometimes in order to make it convert correctly. But most of 
the time
I am able to simply convert it to WinTriangle without having to open the 
LaTex source code at all. Apart from the arxiv, this also applies to 
documents obtained by scanning something and converting it to LaTex 
through infty reader. They mostly convert nicely to WinTriangle without 
one having to even open the LaTex source code. This allows me to focus 
on reading the real content without having to waste time reading through 
all the clutter in the LaTex code.

So here is the revised bottom line: One doesn't and shouldn't have to 
spent a lot of time reading through the formatting mess in the LaTex 
source code in order to read math. Sighted people don't do it and we 
shouldn't have to do it either. If we're doing it, then we're using the 
wrong technology and lowering our efficiency.


On 1/11/2019 8:55 AM, John G Heim via BlindMath wrote:
> Yeah, I didn't see that in the original post but I write all my own 
> latex by hand. Every document I create for any reason, whether it is 
> for work or for one of the non-profits I am involved in, is written in 
> latex by hand. Then I convert it to pdf and send it out.
>
> I used to teach a mini-course in latex for grad students at the Math 
> Department at the University Of Wisconsin. We dropped it a long time 
> ago because grad students come in already knowing latex.
>
>
> On 1/11/19 6:48 AM, Łukasz Grabowski via BlindMath wrote:
>> The bottom line cited below is not quite true:
>>
>> "Bottom line: with several available alternatives, no one should have
>> to read LaTex source code directly unless they really want to torture
>> themselves."
>>
>> I know it for a fact that blind professional mathematicians read latex
>> directly. If you don't believe, I suggest going to arxiv.org,
>> downloading latex source for some new mathematical article and trying
>> to convert it to mathml.
>>
>> The effect likely will be that no matter what software you use you will
>> have to spend first a substantial amount of time editing the source code
>> just to make your software parse the source. And even if you do succeed
>> (which is FAR from given as not all latex pakcages will be implemented
>> in your conversion software)) afterwards you will also surely need to
>> consult latex source anyway while reading mathml.
>>
>> Having said that, this is about professional cutting edge mathematical
>> research. For the purpose of high school students or early university
>> (basic calculus, statistics, etc.), there is probably indeed no need,
>> as there are good quality mathml materials available.
>>
>> Best,
>> Lukasz
>>
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