LyX Document Processor

Found in

Desktop publishing and computer graphics editors.

Word processors and text document editors.

Professional Typesetting

LyX provides an easy interface to the complex TeX/LaTeX engine that has traditionally been used only for high-end typesetting. The beautiful output that LaTeX can generate is now easier than ever to produce, because LyX provides a user-friendly front end that anyone can use.

No More Formatting

When using a word processor such as MS Word, the document designer (that's you) has to spend a considerable amount of time positioning elements, formatting text, and evaluating the way things look. However, LyX is focused only on content, and provides no access to formatting functions. The formatting and layout for your document are all handled by the LaTeX engine, which uses preset document templates and settings to determine how text is positioned in the document, how much space there is after a paragraph, how letters are spaced, and so on. LyX calls this a WYSIWYM (What You See Is What You Mean) interface, which separates the task of writing content from formatting, and allows the writer to focus solely on writing good content and letting the engine prepare the final documents. The output is prepared in a PDF with a single click.

Comparison with Word Processors

LyX is not for writing a note to a friend (although you certainly can). It is intended for use by writers, such as for writing technical documents, journal articles, academic texts, user manuals, novels, and other professional documents. Its output is far more professional and attractive than a basic word processor. LyX uses beautiful typographic qualities like ligatures to generate extremely high-quality documents.

What We'd Change

LyX for Windows is based on MiKTeX, which is the Windows version of the LaTeX engine. Its packaging system is fairly easy to use, and the only stumbling blocks we've encountered are when attempting to use the TrueType font of our choice in Windows—something we have yet to succeed at. The documentation suggests this is possible, and perhaps our fonts are corrupted, but with all that LyX does this simple process should be much easier.