38
votes
Accepted
Why does TeX.SE exist?
To understand why TeX-sx exists we need to think about the overall network aims and how sites inter-relate. I think to do that we first need a little history. The 'main site' (StackOverflow, 'SO') is ...
- 244k
27
votes
Accepted
Are answers recommending non-TeX solutions welcome?
Solutions using alternative tools which fall within the 'TeX sphere' are entirely appropriate and have always been welcome. Obvious examples are that plain or ConTeXt solutions to LaTeX problems are ...
- 244k
26
votes
Why not use Stack Overflow?
This is a summary of the comments, so that we can get an answer. There are a number of reasons why TeX.se exists, and StackOverflow is not the best place for asking TeX related questions.
First and ...
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23
votes
Are "Is this good typography?" questions on topic?
I think there are three different kinds of questions which could be considered relating to typography. One kind is inherently subjective and opinion based and therefore off topic, while the other two ...
- 203k
22
votes
Have we really started to want opinion-based questions?
I was one of the persons who voted to re-open the posting in question, so let me take a minute to explain my reasons.
Basically, I disagree with the claim that the posting in question is "so opinion-...
- 443k
21
votes
Accepted
4 'off-topic' close votes for my question on Texmaker
At present, none of the close voters have left comments on why they are voting to close. Thus the best we can do is speculate. First, I'll look at the general case I think we've got here, then move on ...
- 244k
18
votes
Why does TeX.SE exist?
TeX - LaTeX followed the regular Area 51 proposal process to get where it's at today.
From the Area 51 FAQ:
How do I start a new site?
If your area of expertise doesn't already have a Stack Exchange ...
WernerMod
- 569k
16
votes
Accepted
Is a question regarding 'drawing packages with math support' acceptable?
I think this is in principle not an off-topic question, since it does relate to TeX and related tools. However, to avoid it being closed as a duplicate, you might want to check out the following ...
- 203k
16
votes
Have we really started to want opinion-based questions?
I voted to close as "opinion based" (and enough people did the same that it was closed).
But since that vote was overturned and people voted to open it, I added an answer.
The answer does of course ...
- 673k
16
votes
Is it allowed to ask LilyPond questions here
Lilypond originally was developed using LaTeX, but the current version does not use TeX at all to produce its output of graphical music scores. So questions about Lilypond's syntax (or the Scheme ...
- 11.9k
16
votes
Accepted
Is it allowed to ask LilyPond questions here
I think the answer has to be no really. It seems to be stretching the "related typesetting systems" too far. There is a lilypond tag on stackoverflow
- 673k
15
votes
Accepted
Would a question about choice of font size be allowed?
If you are printing using TeX, then yes it's on topic, if you are not printing using TeX then it's fairly clearly off topic.
- 673k
15
votes
Accepted
Are "Markdown to Docx using Pandoc" questions on topic?
If no TeX is involved, then it's off-topic here. Stack Overflow is the right place to ask the question.
All the same, many users on this site use pandoc and Markdown, and have lots of experience ...
- 11.9k
15
votes
To what extent are code-review-style questions welcome?
I'm not really a fan of such questions, as it remains really open-ended (or too broad). Answers can be as simple as "No, that's the best you can do" to 10 answers each doing it in different ...
WernerMod
- 569k
13
votes
Accepted
How to flag a question concerning a software bug
Flagging using the generic 'needs mod attention' function is fine (though we tend to be conservative about closing). Whilst we can add a limited number of custom close reasons for the site, the number ...
- 244k
12
votes
Accepted
Are questions using markdown with LaTeX allowed?
Issues using a variety of software - Pandoc included - are on topic here as long as the issue relates to (La)TeX in some way. As mentioned in the TeX - LaTeX Tour page:
Ask about...
Formats like ...
WernerMod
- 569k
12
votes
Should questions be to the point or provide context?
Should questions be to the point or provide context?
I would say, both. I have struggled with this point now and in the past. It is an art (to me, at least) to provide enough background that ...
- 28.3k
12
votes
Are questions related to speech recognition to write TeX off-topic?
No they are not. We have some happy-trigger people who likes to see only what they want to see. And they vote to close on practically anything ignoring our long-lost grace period and wait-for-a-reply ...
- 154k
12
votes
Have we really started to want opinion-based questions?
I don't see that we are accepting opinion-based questions. You might be alerted because of the
Is LaTeX used for novels?
LaTeX vs Word; improvements of LaTeX over the years
Why is LaTeX so ...
- 154k
12
votes
Are "Is this good typography?" questions on topic?
No, since it solicits mostly opinion-based answers, which may not be fact-based.
This site is more about the code than the visuals or output. While the latter does matter, the former is something ...
WernerMod
- 569k
11
votes
Where do questions about printing go?
My suggestion would be to try GraphicDesign.SE. The following is taken from their on-topic help page (emphasis added to related on-topic category):
What topics can I ask about here?
Graphic ...
WernerMod
- 569k
11
votes
Accepted
Are questions about TeXmacs on-topic?
I'd put forth that TeXmacs should not be considered on-topic unless perhaps it's about its TeX export options (and even then, the idea leaves a bad taste in my mouth).
Repeating what's been said in ...
- 26.8k
11
votes
Accepted
Posting Q and A on pandoc
I think that pandoc questions that use LaTeX as the intermediary or output format are definitely on topic, and there are quite a few of us here who are also pandoc users, and so these sorts of ...
- 203k
9
votes
Job advertising?
I just signed up for freelancer.ca (see edit below for more details) and basically you can look for freelancers in specific areas to do your "projects", including LaTeX. From what I can see, some of ...
- 457
9
votes
How on-topic/off-topic are questions about 'tricks' with (La)Tex editors?
These sound like very appropriate questions to me :) We have a https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/winedt tag that demonstrates your question won't be the first such question :)
PS: I ...
- 96.2k
8
votes
Is it allowed to ask LilyPond questions here
No, it is not on-topic per se, since LilyPond itself is hardly a "related system", more than MathJaX is, for instance. The only exception is when you ask about the interaction between LilyPond and ...
- 49.2k
8
votes
Have we really started to want opinion-based questions?
»Why is LaTeX so complicated« could be answered on facts. The OP has asked a good question, he gave quite a few examples for his assumption (»LaTeX is complicated«).
You could start an answer with a ...
- 28.9k
8
votes
Accepted
Typesetting and typography related questions
We have a typography tag on this page. The questions there though should be more about how to achieve certain typographical features in TeX or about TeX-nical typography (e.g. a question about whether ...
- 161k
7
votes
Are questions about Mendeley on-topic?
I think the first question is on-topic, since it is about how to use Mendeley's output in LaTeX, whereas the second question is off-topic, since it is about how to adjust Mendeley's output.
- 13.1k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible