Would there be any point to open an enhancement bug for LibreOffice Formula/Math to request visual editing?
To cut to the case: Mathcha.io.
It is a javascript service to write math pages, formula as well as various other things. If you do not know it please check first, so you see what I mean.
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it is visual / WYSIWYG: you edit the formula, not the source. This may be a matter of taste, but:
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it is very fast to use. The reason for that is that it uses a command hotkey (backslash) which pops up a context sensitively ordered, searchable list of functions, basically everywhere. You use it to select math-inline, use it for operators, special characters, brackets, functions, … all of them come formatted.
Since it’s context-sensitively ordered even when you don’t know the exact name it’s on the top of the list, and if not it can be searched (if all else fails by clickable categories), and contains unique enough names to be able to type only 2-3 characters to pull up any objects.
Also search is possibly ordered by use frequency so most used operators come to the top. -
it can use the already selected text for functions, like for numerator of a fraction, or to put something into braces.
The point is: it is way faster than typing the source: random tests show about 10 times less keystrokes, and zero mouse clicks (and mouse clicks are a distraction when one’s typing a formula)!
Also it’d be probably easier to use for the non-geek.
It could generate the source (TeX or LO Formula compatible, whatever one please).
But as far as I see there are no large development going on on the Formula tool and I do not like to create bugs staying there forever. What do you think? Shall I?