After all, they usually tell you that LaTeX handles everything automagically far better than you could do on your own ;-) I got bit by propaganda too last year

After all, they usually tell you that LaTeX handles everything automagically far better than you could do on your own ;-) I got bit by propaganda too last year. I am a little nervous at the moment because I am picking up latex again in some weeks after months of not using it and I wonder what has changed and what I have forgotten since then.