Which Version of LaTeX is Official? Exploring Its Use & Download Links

[pivoxa15]

There seem to be many versions of Latex avaliable for download for free. But which is the official version? Basically, how does it work? Which version does Physicsforums use? Could someone provide a link?

Thanks

 

[mattmns]

If you are using windows read this: http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/LaTeX/AoPS_L_About.php [Broken]

 

[J77]

Many versions? I doubt it - perhaps you mean many class or style files - add-ons which set-up your basic template style + add extra characters etc.

afaik, you have first had tex, then latex, now (for a long while) latex2e.

All use pretty much the same syntax.

If using windows, just download WinEdt (the trial) and go from there - everything's included, eg. dvips; if using linux, you should have the basic latex2e software on there when you first installed - open a text editor (eg. emacs) and start typing...

eg.

\documentclass[]{article}

\begin{document}

blah, blah, blah...

\end{document}

 

[Moridin]

If you do not wish to download MiKTeX or some other implementation, there are several online tools that might suit your needs.

http://dev.baywifi.com/latex/ [Broken]
http://nirvana.informatik.uni-halle.de/~thuering/php/latex-online/latex.php?sprachauswahl=2&aufruf=9306 [Broken]
http://rogercortesi.com/eqn/index.php

 

[pivoxa15]

If you are using windows read this: http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/LaTeX/AoPS_L_About.php [Broken]

Thanks for the site. I downloaded it and it seems great although complicated. What's the best way to learn it? Probably practice is the key. Use this instead of Word? So is this how people create pdf documents. There is so much control with this program. Are the maths code used exactly the same as PF's Latex?

 

[mattmns]

The code is the same in terms of you still use \int_{a}^b{f(x)dx} to produce $$\int_{a}^b{f(x)dx}$$

But you need to use $ instead of [ tex ]. So you would have $\int_{a}^b{f(x)dx}$

The best way to learn is to start writing documents. If you are doing some math, then write up some of it with Latex. Just reading some documentation won't help if you don't use it and mess around with it.

I would read some of the little tutorials on that link I gave you, they are simple and should get you started.