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I used to think converting from handwriting to LaTeX would be a really useful program and save a lot of time, but after typing LaTeX on a regular basis, the inp
by PureParadigm 7y ago
I used to think converting from handwriting to LaTeX would be a really useful program and save a lot of time, but after typing LaTeX on a regular basis, the input speed is really not an issue. Sometimes I'll encounter a symbol I don't know, and then I draw it in here [1] and remember it for next time. When doing math, it's definitely not the bottleneck in getting my work done. I would definitely be slower with handwriting conversion, especially when you factor in fixing errors in its translation. I only see handwriting conversion being useful as training wheels for beginners, but would be interested if someone has a different experience.
Automatic recognition from PDFs is more promising for accessibility and reformatting, and also seems to be easier to do since typeset math is easier to recognize than handwriting.
[1] http://detexify.kirelabs.org/classify.html http://detexify.kirelabs.org/classify.html
- grzm 7y agoIf you’re not at a keyboard, or prefer to use a stylus, typing really isn’t an option. Or if you want to capture the actual working-through of a problem, rather than working from an already-completed work. There are a number of use cases you might not find useful with respect to handwriting, but others might find incredibly practical.
- abdullahkhalids 7y agoI am comfortable enough with latex that I often work through problems on latex. For certain cases, with long expressions, it is actually simpler than handwriting, because I can copy an equation onto the next line and edit it in-place, hence, taking less time and ensuring I am not missing terms. I have a friend who got so into latex that a few times he would mindlessly use latex code while handwriting things, like writing "\alpha" on the board instead of drawing the greek alphabet.