Latex is now defaulting to non-italic

[andrewkirk]

I've just noticed that, since I last used it (two weeks ago), Latex has started rendering alphabetic characters in formulas as non-italic, which is non-standard, and doesn't look as good.
See for example my post in this thread.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I see italics.

 

[Mark44]

I'm not sure if this -- $x^2\cos x$ -- is what you're talking about, @andrewkirk, but x² is rendered in italics, while cos x is not. The reason it's not rendered in italics is because of the backslash preceding cos.

I don't see anything different from how LaTeX has been rendering for a long time.

 

[strangerep]

Well, something is strange. For me, in this expression: $x^2 \cos x ~ cos$, nothing is italic. Everything is normal font. My 1st cos has a backslash but the 2nd doesn't.

Edit: I'm using Firefox on Linux (openSUSE LEAP).

 

[andrewkirk]

Could it be related to the browser or OS that is being used to view the latex? I checked some formulas I wrote a while back and they are showing up as all non-italic too, which suggests it's a phenomenon based on the situation at viewing time rather than when it was written.
I'm at work right now using Internet Explorer on Windows. I didn't notice anything strange this morning when I was posting using Firefox on Linux, so I'll check when I get home and report back.
There may be something incompatible about my employer's setup and the forum software, because the list of icons above an editing window never appears here either (other than the Sigma, for some reason). I have to either remember where they were from using it at home, or float the cursor over them for a popup to tell me what invisible icon lies beneath.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

What OS and browser? Can you upload a screenshot? We did switch MathJax configs to help speed up processing, perhaps something got tripped up. I can work with Mathjax support.

 

[DrClaude]

A bit off-topic, but how does Mathjax handle fonts? I ask because I notice sometimes (especially on pages with lots of math that take a long time to process) that the math is first rendered in what appears like Times, before being displayed in Computer Modern.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

but how does Mathjax handle fonts?

TeX is preferred, if not available STIX is used.

 

[Nugatory]

What OS and browser?

I am seeing the right behavior (italics) with firefox under windows and linux and with IE under windows.
I was seeing the wrong behavior with Safari on my old iPad a few hours ago.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I was seeing the wrong behavior with Safari on my old iPad a few hours ago.

But now it's ok or you just haven't used the iPad since then?

 

[mfb]

Italics with firefox under windows, linux and mac.
Italics with safari at a mac.
Italics with chrome under windows.

Tested with http://browsershots.org/ and my own devices, and everywhere $cos~x$ is italic.

 

[Nugatory]

But now it's ok or you just haven't used the iPad since then?

I've been away from the iPad, will check again when I'm with it in a few hours.

 

[andrewkirk]

Here is a screenshot of what the above linked page looks like on IE 11 on Windows 7.

[What the post says is a silly mistake, by the way . But it's a lesson in humility for me to stick with what I originally linked, since this thread is about formatting, not content]
The 'cos' is supposed to be non-italic, because I prefaced it with a backslash in the Latex code. But the x would normally be italic, and isn't.
Also, the subscripts on summations are mis-aligned, as in this pic:

The latex code used for that was

||Ax||_{\infty} = max_i \left\vert \sum_{j} a_{ij} x_j\right\vert\leq max_i \sum_{j} |a_{ij} x_j|

I noticed that when I open a page that has latex on it, the following happens:
- First it shows the latex code
- Next it shows a rendering in all italic
- Last it Shows a rendering in all non-italic.
I don't know if that helps.

I forgot to check at home last night on Firefox+Linux. I'll make a note to check tonight.
EDIT: I'm at home now and have checked it on Firefox+Linux and it looks fine.