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some little adds
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johannesbottcher committed Nov 7, 2015
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Expand Up @@ -15,8 +15,12 @@ one special meaning, there are lots of instances that are called
Everyday, LaTeX helpers all over the world get questions based on
a bad template. Bad in this case means unmaintained, no license
statement, obsolete packages and practices, in parts even
completely wrong input that leads to warnings from the very
beginning.
completely wrong input that leads to warnings or errors from the
very beginning. Most of the templates have something in common:
they want somebody else to save some time, time that they
invested in the past while googling for problems they had
themselves. Bad code and bad practices are distributed that way,
from one generation to the next.

As we can't get in touch with every maintainer of a web-page
providing template-like stuff, does that mean the helpers should
Expand All @@ -37,7 +41,7 @@ Papeeria](http:https://www.mychemistry.eu/2015/07/the-template-story/#comment-870)
said "Many templates are quick and dirty hacks, but very often
they don’t need to be polished, because they are just fine for
their job." If i understand him correctly, he is talking about
documentclasses there.
document classes there.

[Vel from LaTeX templates]() on the other hands states his
motives for setting up the web page: Getting new users started by
Expand All @@ -56,6 +60,7 @@ is the following:
LaTeX template. Maybe what we are talking about are not so much
templates but examples for LaTeX usage…


It seems, there are two general categories of templates.


Expand All @@ -66,14 +71,15 @@ LaTeX classes and packages have a special license, most important
to keep names unique. There are multiple university thesis
packages on CTAN, each setting up a titlepage (hopefully using
variables), setting the page layout in general, i.e. margins,
fonts, chapter/section headings. The layout is fixed.
fonts, chapter/section headings. The layout is fixed and hidden
to keep the end-user from changing anything.


`classicthesis` sets very specific design ideas. The author
explains those ideas, what they are based on and asks the user
not to change the margins. In my experience, changing the margins
is quite the first thing a `classicthesis`-user is changing. So
... no fixed output. `classicthesis` (the package) is licensed (good thing)
... no fixed output at all. `classicthesis` (the package) is licensed (good thing)
and every change to the original code has to be done by
redefining or patching, which i think is quite scary and
outputting for a new user. I think my point here is: Actually
Expand All @@ -84,7 +90,7 @@ One more thing to consider are package incompatibilities. If some
package like `subfigure` or `hyperref` are loaded early in a
class file, trouble is to be expected.

Those fixed templates usually come with own documentation and how
Those fixed templates usually come with own documentation on how
to use it. Additionally introducing new commands if necessary.

One of those fixed templates is the [Thesis Template by Sunil
Expand All @@ -97,7 +103,7 @@ section of the web site
>It is not compulsory to use the LaTeX Thesis Template or any
other LaTeX template, but here is one, ready, tested and
documented for you to use. It is a template and structured
framework and written to keep you organised and let you start
framework and written to keep you organized and let you start
writing your thesis straight away without spending time worrying
about the formatting and layout.

Expand All @@ -107,12 +113,18 @@ re-invent the wheel?

That very template made it to [LaTeX
Templates](http:https://www.latextemplates.com/template/masters-doctoral-thesis)
as well and is the most used of the three templates available.
as well and is the most used of the three thesis templates
available. Later, some modifications were made to [our famous
thesis template](ourFamousThesisTemplate). Somehow, it isn't that
fixed anymore.




Non-fixed Output
--------------

No design decisions are hidden in a class or package file, maybe
No layout decisions are hidden in a class or package file, maybe
put in a file called `config.tex` or `structure.tex`. The user
sees the whole bunch of stuff, comments behind. There might be
packages loaded to suit almost all users. Three for table stuff,
Expand All @@ -121,7 +133,7 @@ package `color`, 4 different packages that set the font of the
document, and finally package `xcolor` with some option. To top
it off, several independent blocks of redefining internal
commands using the `\makeatletter`/`\makeatother` combo
Actually, that was made up, but that doesn't mean there is a no
Actually, that was made up, but that doesn't mean there is no
template out there doing this.

Merely a small fraction here would be actually useful for a
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -175,13 +187,29 @@ line before starting to work?


Best before end?
---------------
----------------


LaTeX moves on every day. Does code have a *best before end* life
span? What happens to unmaintained code? How can a community
assure that code is up to date?

Who supports a template? Who mountains it?
-------------------------------------------

Overleaf and ShareLaTeX have a little comments section, where
some support is done. Many users drop in to
[TeX.Stackexchange](http:https://tex.stackexchange.com/). The support
for LaTeX-templates is done in collaboration with
[LaTeX-community](http:https://latex-community.org/forum/), though not
everybody finds the right button and many users seek help at
TeX.SX. Some *templates* do development and support on gitHub,
some may know
[cleanthesis](https://github.com/derric/cleanthesis/). A few
thoughts about maintainership and support (as long with license
issues) can be found in [the Deedy Das CV template
example](exampleDeedyResume.md).


-----

Expand All @@ -196,13 +224,14 @@ questions concerning templates? What is a template? Can a
template have a license, should a template have a license? What
effect does a license have to the user?

The good news is, we have the
guys from [ShareLaTeX](https://www.sharelatex.com/),
The good news is, we have the guys from
[ShareLaTeX](https://www.sharelatex.com/),
[Overleaf](https://www.overleaf.com/) and [LaTeX
Templates](http:https://www.latextemplates.com/) on board willing to
make improvements. Those improvements will (hopefully) improve
the overall image, accessibility and user experience of LaTeX.
Thousands of people are using the online compilers and LaTeX
Templates gets about 5000 visitors each day as well. Looking at
those digits there really is a quite high interest from the user
side to use LaTeX for their typesetting needs.
make at least some improvements. Those improvements will
(hopefully) improve the overall image, accessibility and user
experience of LaTeX. Thousands of people are using the online
compilers and LaTeX Templates gets about 5000 visitors each day
as well. Looking at those digits there really is a quite high
interest from the user side to use LaTeX for their typesetting
and publication needs.

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