As a start here is the link to utmthesis latex format 3.13. Click me
Why did i choose LaTeX for my thesis?
- It’s free.
- It piqued my interest to learn a “semi programming”(as if) style in LaTeX. It reminds me the day when i did my assignments for master degree using AIX (IBM RT series) word processor. Back then the machines were already at the verge of obsolete…issit?, imagining someone donated to you a 10 years old machine, here as the saying goes, one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure…lol.
- It has a recent file formatted (v3.13) that conformed to utm thesis format, i wasn’t worried about page/number page/ paragraphing/ etc margins, when everything is already set for you. The learning curve mostly went to understand the command statements.
- Yup utmthesis files in LaTeX, once you unzipped them, is basically stored in separated subfolders. The main tex file resides in root dir, whereas the supporting chapters including the references and figures are in their respective subfolders. What is the advantage then? You can edit your chapters without worrying a single bit about your thesis formats, due to all formats are already set for you in the main tex file. Sound like complicated, but it wasn’t.
- Just as a cautious, please be meticulous on the command statements for LaTeX, a simple wrong statement will cause the compiler pops up a message, the file not found and your already generated pdf formatted file cannot be opened up even from file explorer.
- It will generate your file into pdf formatted. So what’s the big deal? Portability and Compatibility across multi-OSes platforms…just google these words “Portable Document Format” would you.
Why i did not choose on-the-shelf commercial word processor (i.e words)
- Funny thing about version 2013 ms-word, it cannot opened up a 2004 file ms-office formatted, why is it so?
- Auto-generated for every single added sections and subsections requires your to fix your Table of whatever…counterproductive.
- Saving your thesis chapter-by-chapter in pdf (ms-pdf) formatted will taking up more space in hard drive as compared to LaTeX….or issit only me?
Just my review based on my experiences using both products.
