Re: Writing a dissertation using org-mode

[Markus Heller <hellerm2@gmail.com>]

On 3/5/2010 2:14 AM, Sven Bretfeld wrote:
> Eric S Fraga<ucecesf@ucl.ac.uk>  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