Google Docs is a good way to collaborate on paperwork and for lots of people can in all probability change massive, costly workplace suites with a free, on-line answer. After I first began utilizing the service, the options had been fairly primary. I seen in the present day that there was a hyperlink to a listing of latest options. A few these had been significantly attention-grabbing. Since a few of these options have been round for some time with out me noticing, I assumed it may be value a weblog submit.
LaTeX
The phrase processing program has a visible equation editor that works very similar to Microsoft Equation Editor. This isn’t a foul possibility for somebody who solely often wants to incorporate equations of their writing. Nevertheless, professionals who write extensively on mathematical matters can be higher served by investing the trouble in studying to make use of LaTeX for typing equations.
The brand new equation editor in Google Docs will acknowledge LaTeX symbols and can mechanically convert them to the suitable image. So, as an illustration, you possibly can kind alpha and get [tex]alpha[/tex].
This has the potential to be fairly useful for teams that have to collaborate on mathematical paperwork because it leverages the LaTeX shortcuts for customers who’re already acquainted in addition to offering a graphical instrument for customers preferring that possibility.
If you happen to’re enthusiastic about utilizing these shortcuts, an inventory of widespread LaTeX symbols for arithmetic is obtainable right here.
Linked Drawings
The opposite massive function is that components in a drawing will be related in such a method that the connection will stretch when the weather are moved. Google offers an in depth clarification right here together with this pattern picture.
One of these drawing is helpful in arithmetic (significantly graph principle), pc science and engineering. I’ve used the open supply GraphViz previously for drawing related graphs. Whereas this new function received’t change a program like GraphViz, it’s a function that can definitely be helpful for scientific writers.
Conclusion
Though I wasn’t a giant fan of internet apps at first, Google Docs received me over by offering a minimal set of instruments and amazingly easy collaboration. I’m very glad to see that they’re including options that can attraction to technical writers.
About
Tony McDaniel is a graduate scholar in computational engineering on the College of Tennessee at Chattanooga. His analysis pursuits embody computational arithmetic, algorithm design and evaluation, and information visualization for numerical options of partial differential equations. Different pursuits embody pictures, mannequin rocketry and electronics.
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