I'm a happy Evernote user, but I miss a feature many people have asked for and will greatly appreciate - support for LaTeX formulas. If may sound complicated, but integration should be actually extremely simple. Here's how it could work:
1) Similarly to URL-to-hyperlink conversion, a LaTeX formula could be automatically generated by converting text surrounded by specific characters ($ in LaTeX). For example, I can type "Today we will discuss how equations of the form $ax^2 + bx + c = 0$ can be solved"
2) Finally, the formula text can be converted to an image. Luckily, there are many online services that given the LaTeX source produce a PNG image (even with transparency and custom color by some services). So the only thing the Evernote team needs to implement is to provide the option to automatically and manyally convert a piece of text to an image by querying some well-established online service.
So adding LaTeX math support boild down to implementing a simple UI feature! Now it sounds simple, but this could be a selling point to a huge amount of people (especially in academia). I'm not aware of any good note taking tool that has seamless formula integration and synchronization.
Even in the current Evernote state the functionality can be emulated by dragging LaTeX formula images to Evernote. However, this is tedious and does not facilitate modifications. Therefore, it would be good after the image has been acquired, the source text to be saved along for future modifications.
What do you think, Evernote staff?
P.S. I just saw on your blog that you're supporting the use of Evernote in schools, etc. This makes the suggested feature even more prominent.
Idea
iliyan 40
I'm a happy Evernote user, but I miss a feature many people have asked for and will greatly appreciate - support for LaTeX formulas. If may sound complicated, but integration should be actually extremely simple. Here's how it could work:
1) Similarly to URL-to-hyperlink conversion, a LaTeX formula could be automatically generated by converting text surrounded by specific characters ($ in LaTeX). For example, I can type "Today we will discuss how equations of the form $ax^2 + bx + c = 0$ can be solved"
2) Finally, the formula text can be converted to an image. Luckily, there are many online services that given the LaTeX source produce a PNG image (even with transparency and custom color by some services). So the only thing the Evernote team needs to implement is to provide the option to automatically and manyally convert a piece of text to an image by querying some well-established online service.
So adding LaTeX math support boild down to implementing a simple UI feature! Now it sounds simple, but this could be a selling point to a huge amount of people (especially in academia). I'm not aware of any good note taking tool that has seamless formula integration and synchronization.
Even in the current Evernote state the functionality can be emulated by dragging LaTeX formula images to Evernote. However, this is tedious and does not facilitate modifications. Therefore, it would be good after the image has been acquired, the source text to be saved along for future modifications.
What do you think, Evernote staff?
P.S. I just saw on your blog that you're supporting the use of Evernote in schools, etc. This makes the suggested feature even more prominent.
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