Math Forum Discussions

Peltio

Posts: 80
Registered: 12/7/04

Re: Mathematica 8 docs online now!
Posted: Nov 18, 2010 7:07 AM

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Armand Tamzarian wrote on 17-Nov-10 :
> On Nov 16, 10:13 pm, Oliver Ruebenkoenig <ruebe...@wolfram.com> wrote:

>> Here is something you can try.
>> Graphics -> New Graphics
>> Open the drawing tools (Graphics->Drawing Tools)
>> Select, for example the text insert. Write 1+1 into the Graphics, select
>> it an use Evaluation -> Evaluate in Place.
>> Maye it is useful to you,
>> Oliver
>
> here's a video along those lines:
> http://www.wolfram.com/broadcast/screencasts/mathematicaasawhiteboard/

Thanks for your answers.
I was aware of that, too (it was pointed out by some other NG member
the last time I had my rant here :-) ).
Still, (to me) this is just a workaround.
Nobody would use a graphic cell to write text and place input if they
were not forced to by the lack of alternative.

What I feel the lack of is a _native_ way to arrange the flow in a
two-dimensional layout. (With native I mean: a collection of
consecutive cells in a notebook arranged on two or more columns; not a
graphic cell containg the picture of a two-column layout).
And it surprise me that in 2010 Mathematica is actually able to speak,
read and understand plain English but still lacks a *basic* function
that was already old hat in my 1995 word-processor.

I understand that Mathematica is not a WP, but it seems to me that
producing professional-looking technical documents is one of its stated
goals. The fact that in 2010 the Front-end developers are still making
users resort to these 'tricks' makes me wonder how difficult it must be
to implement such a feature in the complex Mathematica front-end.

As for why one would need a multiple column layout, I'll answer in my
forthcoming post.

Thanks for your help, anyway.
Peltio