[mdlug] [OT] Perspective

[A. Kalten]

On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 03:45:49 -0400 (EDT)
Michael Corral <micorral at comcast.net> wrote:

> 
> I totally disagree that the WYSIWYG apps are better or even easier.
> Getting correct formatting can be a nightmare in those programs.
> Things like groff and LaTeX handle all that for you, I think they
> are definitely worth learning. For example, save the following text
> between the dashed lines in a file called letter.tex, then run
> this command: pdflatex letter.tex
> This will produce a letter.pdf file, open it and see how everything
> is formatted for you.
> 

Sure.  That's easy.

But what good is an official letter without a bona fide signature?

To include your "John Hancock" you are going to have to create
an image file, ultimately in eps format, and then work it in to
that LaTex template using the \includegraphics{} directive.  But
depending upon the length of your name and the intended size of
the image, you may be greatly surprised -- and continually frustrated
 -- over where LaTex has placed it.  More than likely you will have
to undergo an extensive trial and error period of using \vspace{}
and \hspace{} to position the image exactly where you want it.
You may have to even override the built-in margins to avoid having
your signature unintentionally placed all by itself on the next
page (a fact that won't be revealed until you make the final
print).

I will agree that once everything is finally honed to perfection
then the same structure can be used repeatedly, but you can never
completely drop your guard.

Also, if you want to use a different letter format, then, unless
you can find a suitable template at ctan.org, you are stuck.
Composing your own TeX template is no labor of love (at least it
wouldn't be for me).

A WYSIWYG tool can leave all that trouble in the dust.