From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Markus Heller Subject: Re: Writing a dissertation using org-mode Date: Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:41:23 -0800 Message-ID: References: <87vddcu22l.fsf@belvoir.org> <4B8F462D.1090702@gmail.com> <878wa7m9cx.wl%ucecesf@ucl.ac.uk> <87k4tr6pnj.fsf@gmx.ch> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-path: Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1NnbWt-0005T9-S6 for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:41:39 -0500 Received: from [140.186.70.92] (port=36950 helo=eggs.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1NnbWt-0005Sm-0F for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:41:39 -0500 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1NnbWs-00066m-7X for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:41:38 -0500 Received: from lo.gmane.org ([80.91.229.12]:58173) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1NnbWr-00066d-RX for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:41:38 -0500 Received: from list by lo.gmane.org with local (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1NnbWq-0004KC-6X for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:41:36 +0100 Received: from 142.103.191.98 ([142.103.191.98]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:41:36 +0100 Received: from hellerm2 by 142.103.191.98 with local (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:41:36 +0100 In-Reply-To: <87k4tr6pnj.fsf@gmx.ch> List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org On 3/5/2010 2:14 AM, Sven Bretfeld wrote: > Eric S Fraga writes: > >> if I may (respectfully) disagree? Having examined too many PhD theses >> to count, I would prefer PhD candidates spent more of their time >> worrying about the content and organisation of their thesis than the >> actual layout. Unlike the preparation of camera ready copy for >> conferences, say, most of the defaults taken by LaTeX are usually fine >> once you've set up the layout to meet the university's requirements >> (which are usually only about page size, margins and font sizes). The >> great thing about using org-mode for writing is the outlining and the >> ability to easily move sections around. > > I fully agree and would add some other advantages: > > - Orgmode can help to plan a paper or thesis right from the first second > onwards. If you plan your texts in the canonical bottom-up way, > orgmode helps you through all the stages: > > 1. Brainstorming > 2. Selecting > 3. Mindmapping > 4. Visualizing (org-mindmap) > 5. Structuring > 6. Writing > > - Orgmode has the fantastic (and AFAIK unique) feature that you can > integrate your text project directly into your time and todo > management. Most people writing with MSWord etc. use to use > marginnotes or something similar to make notes like "Check the > pagenumber of this citation again". They are lucky if they actually > remember this task when they are in a library. Writing in orgmode you > can just add: > > * TODO Check the pagenumber of this citation again :@LIBRARY: > > And you automatically have that todo in your daily agenda. I have to agree with Torsten: I'd write the thesis directly in LaTeX, only because of the power of AUCTeX and RefTeX (and preview, if you have lots of plots and math). I do see the advantages of orgmode in terms of brainstorming etc. as outlined by Sven, and I'd use orgmode for 1.--5. for sure. Just one remark on Sven's last point: Having the TODO item in your agenda when you're in the library only helps if you have access to your org-files ... Just my 2 cents Markus