Writing LaTeX in a normal text editor works, but it is better to find an app that will check your syntax, highlight brackets and the like, and then compile into a finished document at the press of a button – effectively an IDE. So I started using TeXnicCenter on Windows which is rather nice. I would recommend it for beginners. I would suggest that readers make use of Google primarily for learning the language – there are tutorials dotted around. I intend to write my coursework up this way after Christmas – it makes it look very professional when done right. Then I will get gnuplot (not actually GNU, by the way) up to draw graphs, but I am not sure this is allowed.

Yesterday I found myself on Ubuntu and wanted to write up some revision notes for physics so I fired up the package manager and installed a selection of LaTeX GUIs, and through this discovered LyX, a rather nice one. It is actually a complete environment where you are not required to use any code at all, although a knowledge of how the language works helps. Through this I produced a rather pretty overview of the course so far that I intend to use just before the exam for last-minute revision and something I can add to and complement over the revision period. Also for me doing revision this way is more fun because I do love the beautiful typesetting. So, if you like maths or mathful science, learn LaTeX or get a copy of LyX.