LaTex vs WYSIWYG(Word & OpenOffice)

LaTex allows you to separate content from the format of your document. This feature gives you opportunity to focus on “What”, the creative part of your work, rather than how it is going to look printed out on paper. This is particularly helpful while writing documents which contain heavy mathematics.

Following are some of differences between LaTex and WYSIWYG editors

Latex is better at:

1. Dealing with mathematical notations: Typing mathematical notations in equation editors looks bit easy because of its GUI interface, but layout is easy in LaTex. When there is large number of equations in document LaTex is easier than equation editor. That’s why is recommended for scientific documents.


2. Consistent handling of intra-document references and bibliography, re-numbering, cross-reference and bibliography can be handled very easily in LaTex.


3. Separation of content and style: This is one of the important feature of LaTex. It allows you to write your document without caring how it is formatted. That means writer can focus clearly on its writing. 


4. Tables and illustrations. LaTex is better preparing at complex tables.


5. Modularise document: LaTex allows you to create separate .tex file of each chapter, even for bibliography, after development you can combine the all document to form one document.

WYSIWYG is better at:

1. Collaborative editing: Word has very good comments/annotations and edit-tracking features. When large number of authors is commenting on the writing of one file, this feature is very useful. 


2. Spell check: This feature is better in WYSIWYG editors, although most of LaTex editors also provide spell check features.


3. Minimum barrier to enter: If you just care about ideas written down on paper, WYSIWYG is best for you, but it makes tedious to fix formatting later on.