Very often I read a question like
How can I set something in LyX?
Every time I think why do you use LyX? I know the biggest advantage is WYSIWYG. But people using LyX normally are not able to edit the code or to set special wishes.
In this relation I think we shouldn't recommend LyX instead we should prefer an editor like TeXStudio/TeXMaker etc.
What do you think?
The most popular editors are listed in the post LaTeX Editors/IDEs
I don't think it's up to us to tell people what editor they should use, or to refuse giving advice if they don't agree with our choice. For new users, and especially non-programmers, LyX does have certain advantages, namely being WYSIWYG, and the more familiar formatting and editing environment similar to e.g. {Open|Libre}Office or older versions of MS Word.
Think of it as training wheels - it can get you started directly out-of-the-box, but you will soon have to outgrow them if you want to perform a tricky maneuver or compete with the big boys.
If you think that a user is on the level when a new editor makes more sense -- by all means, do recommend it gently, and when answering, mention that this problem doesn't exist in editor X. But chastising people for not using a certain "blessed" toolset will not make them happy, especially when they are comfortable with their choice or have a valid reason to use Lyx.
People should be free to shoot themselves in the foot, if they so choose.
;-)
Commented
Oct 18, 2011 at 17:14
IMHO it is very important to not consider LyX as an "editor" for LaTeX. It is text system in its own respect that just happens to use LaTeX as back end. Thereby LyX profits from many LaTeX benefits. It also provides (via ERT, layouts and modules) an interface to directly interact with the LaTeX backend. So the connection to the topics discussed on tex.se is not the front end (the editor), but the back end of LyX.
So I have a feeling that the "question behind" is: Do we want to consider tex.se as a forum for LyX-related questions or not.
Given that there is a lyx tag I, would say LyX-related questions are considered as perfectly okay. In this case they should be answered as that. (Even though at times I thought that the very helpful and responsive lyx-users mailing list would be a more adequate source for advice.)
To begin by arguing with Daniel, there are use cases for Lyx, e.g., my (unanswered) Can Lyx syntax files override document class defaults?, and problems arising when using Lyx, e.g., Dave Jarvis' Create new paragraph style in LyX, which show Lyx to be a citizen in the land of Latex, not just a tourist.
Furthermore, debugging even WYSIWYG Lyx problems quite often depends on Latex knowledge, e.g., LyX enumeration style from numbers to letters.
So I do not think that we should deprecate Lyx. What we should do is encourage Lyx users to learn about Latex, since it will help them to use this tool better, and it may make attractive the option most of us prefer, of using Latex (or Context, or Plain Tex, OWHY) directly.
I should say, I have often used ERT boxes in Lyx to test small bits of Latex code for answers I provided here. For some reason obscure even to me, I like organising snippets of Latex code in this way.
As someone who is new to LyX and completely new to Latex I couldn't agree more with Daniel. But I also agree with Charles Stewart. The point is rather than these things being mutually exclusive they are actually interdependant or mutally supporting.
I write technical training manuals which are used both in the classroom and as a reference afterwards. When writing a new course we have to identify prioritize and clarify lots of interelated areas; technical content, scope, levels of detail, learning objectives, skills objectives, presentation, clarity, conciseness/economy, consolidating practicals, course timings, classroom environment, technical build etc etc. All of these issues need to be reflected in the final document.
I'm sure nobody is going to suggest one would write this off the top of their head directly in LaTeX. Our experience suggests that to develop the basic structure of the course/manual a good outliner is absolutely essential as a minimum. A mind mapping tool can also be very useful. LyX has a pretty good Outliner
Once you have the basic outline structure you have to develop the subsections and bullet points into paragraphs, pages, section and chapters. For this you need the basic document formating tools which LyX also has.
However while we're developing the 'text' component of the manual we also have to think about how the content will be presented live in the classroom. Hence we design some of the diagrams for the slides early in the process and write the text content around the slide content. Consequently the slide/graphic development proceeds hand in hand with the textual content. LyX has great (LaTeX) tools for both text and slide development.
Finally we proof and adjust the content, length, layout and graphics of the document. Here the LaTeX underpinning of LyX really comes into it's own.
A single tool which allows one to progress from high level general outline down to detailed print layout and which takes care of much of the details for you is a really powerful concept.
We simply wouldn't consider using LaTeX by itself to develop our manauls simply because it is too low level for us. Nor would we consider using LyX if it didn't have the LaTeX underpinning. Although we feel that the WYSIWYM is a better paradigm than WYSIWYG, LyX without LaTeX would not offer enough for us to migrate from using two tools; Word and Impress to using one tool; LyX.
Is LyX a LaTeX editor? Probably not but who cares! Many people probably don't use a LaTeX editor because they like writing LaTeX but because they want the great quality and control it offers. It's the great output that matters and the time and effort it takes to achieve it. Any tool that makes that process easier for a given use case is to be praised and recommended.
