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This is pretty cool. But I would be interested to know how the author would have handled other requirements. Embedding images, other scripts, typesetting differ

by ksk 10y ago

This is pretty cool. But I would be interested to know how the author would have handled other requirements. Embedding images, other scripts, typesetting different column layouts fonts, spacings, etc.

ggambetta 10y ago
No idea. Another one of my projects is a Computer Graphics textbook (I love CG, see http://gabrielgambetta.com/tiny_raytracer.html http://gabrielgambetta.com/tiny_raytracer.html) which includes source code and diagrams and images the manuscript is also in Markdown with embedded LaTeX for the equations, so I'll have to deal with something more complex soon!
dredmorbius 10y ago
Almost none of that matters in a novel. Which has little structure other than sentences, paragraphs, and chapters. Many won't even include italic text (though some might). If your output is simple, stick to simple tools. Tool tyranny -- decisions you're forced to make, because your tools dictate them -- is a significant cognitive overhead. (Incidentally, this is why I found Lyx actually harder to use than LaTeX. Lyx forced me, from the beginning, to consider the document format and structure, whilst LaTeX lets you just start writing paragraphs and sorting out the rest later.) The more extended answer: if you've got other shit you need to do, you address it when the time comes. Markdown, specifically, allows for inline inclusion of other formatting languages, particularly LaTeX and HTML. It also has native support for images, tables, lists, etc. You've got the option for Roman, bold, italic, and monospace text. If your document needs more than this, address it in layout. In the workflow mentioned here, the author actually answers your question: images, etc., were added (for the cover) in LibreOffice and through ePub management tools, including a Python script to reorganise the output file as needed. Again, the advantage of Markdown (or rsT, or AsciiDoc, or ...) is that the markup gets out of your fucking way. Instead of obsessing over format, you write your fucking story (or article, or essay, or rant, or ...). Then deal with the layout later.

by ksk 10y ago

ggambetta 10y ago

No idea. Another one of my projects is a Computer Graphics textbook (I love CG, see http://gabrielgambetta.com/tiny_raytracer.html http://gabrielgambetta.com/tiny_raytracer.html) which includes source code and diagrams and images the manuscript is also in Markdown with embedded LaTeX for the equations, so I'll have to deal with something more complex soon!

dredmorbius 10y ago

Almost none of that matters in a novel. Which has little structure other than sentences, paragraphs, and chapters. Many won't even include italic text (though some might). If your output is simple, stick to simple tools. Tool tyranny -- decisions you're forced to make, because your tools dictate them -- is a significant cognitive overhead. (Incidentally, this is why I found Lyx actually harder to use than LaTeX. Lyx forced me, from the beginning, to consider the document format and structure, whilst LaTeX lets you just start writing paragraphs and sorting out the rest later.) The more extended answer: if you've got other shit you need to do, you address it when the time comes. Markdown, specifically, allows for inline inclusion of other formatting languages, particularly LaTeX and HTML. It also has native support for images, tables, lists, etc. You've got the option for Roman, bold, italic, and monospace text. If your document needs more than this, address it in layout. In the workflow mentioned here, the author actually answers your question: images, etc., were added (for the cover) in LibreOffice and through ePub management tools, including a Python script to reorganise the output file as needed. Again, the advantage of Markdown (or rsT, or AsciiDoc, or ...) is that the markup gets out of your fucking way. Instead of obsessing over format, you write your fucking story (or article, or essay, or rant, or ...). Then deal with the layout later.