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The problem is that WYSIWYG is a concept that has almost nothing to do with writing. It's more about typesetting and layout. It's easy to write in a text editor
by qjz 16y ago
The problem is that WYSIWYG is a concept that has almost nothing to do with writing. It's more about typesetting and layout. It's easy to write in a text editor or even this little box on HN. Now try to just write in Word. Wait until you're happy with what you've written before you change the way it looks. Then try to do some editing. Then send it to someone for collaboration. In no time at all, it turns into a big clusterfk. You get people who do things like PUT ALL THEIR CHANGES IN RED BOLD UPPERCASE SO THEY STAND OUT. Gee, thanks a lot. Now I have to completely retype the section in my original font and/or color to get it to look normal again. To make matters worse, there's still an invisible space that's in RED BOLD UPPERCASE, waiting for your cursor like a landmine. Typesetting should be one of the last steps of document preparation, and the majority of writers shouldn't even be involved in that process.
- adamc 16y agoYou don't need to do that. All you need to do is define your styles initially and reapply them as needed.
- Qz 16y agoOne way to go would be to split the text and layout like html/css.
- sesqu 16y agoor TeX
- kragen 16y ago> You get people who do things like PUT ALL THEIR CHANGES IN RED BOLD UPPERCASE SO THEY STAND OUT. If you get someone who doesn't know how to use Word, teach them. Say, "Can you please turn on Track Changes and redo your changes, without the red bold uppercase?" > Typesetting should be one of the last steps of document preparation, and the majority of writers shouldn't even be involved in that process. You get a better product when the writer is aware and competent at that. Maybe you're saying that that's too much to ask from the majority of writers, or maybe that extra increment of quality isn't worth it for the majority of books.
- derefr 16y ago> Maybe you're saying that that's too much to ask from the majority of writers It's not "too much to ask," it's something that requires much training and practice and a good sense of visual aesthetics, and writers shouldn't waste 10x the time to get half as good a result as someone who does it professionally. Of course, you should be aware of how the way in which you do your job affects how others do theirs (i.e. it'sveryhardtotypesetthisline,evenifit'sthewaysomeonesoundedwhentheyspoke), but you shouldn't do [an amateur version of] their job for them.
- billswift 16y agoEven when the writer does the typesetting or formatting himself, it should still be the last thing done, AFTER all the writing is done. Trying to do the formatting while writing messes with both.