D-Man <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Would anyone like to provide a comparison of LaTeX and Docbook? > (without a flamewar of course).
LaTeX: * Been around longer * Stable, ie changes little over the years * Extremely easy to set up (significantly because of above) * Well documented if you like dead tree. * Trivial to output PDF (pdflatex, dvipdfm, ps2pdf) * Can be converted into HTML, but not always at optimal quality without some finagling. (latex2html, tth) * Physical and/or logical markup. * Easier to define your own markup (which is both good and bad) DocBook: * Newer * Changes more frequently than LaTeX * Less easy to get a working setup from scratch (but Debian packages are available and make it easy). * Fewer dead-tree resources, I think, but more online * Conversions to various formats available, including PDF (often through TeX), though translators are of varying quality * Easier to parse and make new translators * Logical markup only. That sums up the essential differences. Most projects choose DocBook for better translations to HTML and text. I normally use LaTeX for my stuff because I've been using it for years and DocBook doesn't seem well-suited to some of the things I do. (It may be fine, but I don't know enough about DocBook yet.) For things where I want control over formatting _and_ logical markup, LaTeX is good. -- Alan Shutko <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> - In a variety of flavors! Your temporary financial embarrassment will be relieved in a surprising manner.
