Suggestions related to Mathjax

[Wrichik Basu]

There are three requests that I am going to make in this thread:

1. When replying to a thread, the LaTeX and BBCode help page links are displayed below the text box. These should be displayed in the Create Thread page as well, because I find many new members not knowing about mathjax.
2. In the Create Thread page, in the right hand side column, there is "Read: How to Get a Reply". There, I think it should be mentioned that MathJax should be used for equations. The help pages can be linked there.
3. In the MathJax help page, a link should be made to Detexify. It helps a lot in finding out the LaTeX expression for symbols fast, without scrolling through the list.

Calling upon @Greg Bernhardt for his opinion, and opinions of other members and mentors are always welcome.

Wrichik.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Very reasonable requests! We're looking to do a major overhaul end of year and we'll implement these things then. When that time comes, I'll make a thread and then please reference this thread so I can remember, thanks!

 

[Mark44]

There are three requests that I am going to make in this thread:

1. When replying to a thread, the LaTeX and BBCode help page links are displayed below the text box. These should be displayed in the Create Thread page as well, because I find many new members not knowing about mathjax.
2. In the Create Thread page, in the right hand side column, there is "Read: How to Get a Reply". There, I think it should be mentioned that MathJax should be used for equations. The help pages can be linked there.
3. In the MathJax help page, a link should be made to Detexify. It helps a lot in finding out the LaTeX expression for symbols fast, without scrolling through the list.

Calling upon @Greg Bernhardt for his opinion, and opinions of other members and mentors are always welcome.

Wrichik.

I don't think that 1 and 2 are necessarily good ideas, as many threads don't have anything to do with equations. Having unnecessary links on a page just clutters it up, IMO.

Regarding "Read: How to Get a Reply" -- many of our new members don't read the rules, even though they have to click a checkbox saying that they did when they join. Is there any evidence they would follow the link to learn how to get a reply?

Also, for complicated equations, MathJax is very helpful, but it's not necessary for all equations. I can write a quadratic equation without it, as ax² + bx + c = 0, just using the BBCode to format it. In addition, if someone wrote ax^2 + bx + c = 0, that would be perfectly fine, as far as I'm concerned.

On the other hand, if someone is writing integrals, I really would prefer that they used MathJax. If their posts are difficult to decipher, I always provide a link to our LaTeX help page, and recommend they take a look at it.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

I don't think that 1 and 2 are necessarily good ideas, as many threads don't have anything to do with equations. Having unnecessary links on a page just clutters it up, IMO.

I don't think there will be too much cluttering if this is displayed as an advice: "Use MathJax for equations". The BBCode link can be given just below the text box, like the ones we see just below the Reply box.

Regarding "Read: How to Get a Reply" -- many of our new members don't read the rules, even though they have to click a checkbox saying that they did when they join. Is there any evidence they would follow the link to learn how to get a reply?

I know that most users don't see those rules. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't be displayed. If they don't look at it, it's their fault, but I believe that we shouldn't change our policy.

Many new users come in here to post their own "crackpot" theories, and I know the amount of work put in by the moderation team to remove such threads. But that doesn't mean PF will ban all new users from posting threads for a certain period, so that they get used to the rules.

Similarly, in the Media gallery, there are a lot of videos in almost every stream, but most videos have views between 5 and 10, indicating that very less number of users pay a visit to the gallery or make use of it. But that doesn't mean that the Gallery would be removed, or we would stop uploading videos.

In short, what I want to say is that, let the links be there, so that the ones who want to read them, can go through them.

Also, for complicated equations, MathJax is very helpful, but it's not necessary for all equations. I can write a quadratic equation without it, as ax2 + bx + c = 0, just using the BBCode to format it. In addition, if someone wrote ax^2 + bx + c = 0, that would be perfectly fine, as far as I'm concerned.

Absolutely true, but I have myself reported a few threads some months back (in the homework section) in which the user has written long solutions with equations without using any LaTeX. Later, through PM, I learned that the user was not aware of MathJax as he didn't see any link in the Create Thread page.

 

[Dr Transport]

adding a MathJax link a the top of the post opposite to the page counter wouldn't take up any room and it could become a standard part of the header.