# Is it okay to post solutions without using $\LaTeX$

Following question Now has two answers both written by same user, one of them without $\LaTeX$

Using an Integral to Solve for a Variable a

I've also commented about using $\LaTeX$ and I got following response.

I know wrinting with LATEX but it takes much more time than the other method. Is it opposit to the rules of this forum to scan and then post scanned figures instead of LATEX?

I don't really understand what I should I answer him! Is it really okay to post this kind of answers? If not, Do we have any guidelines regarding this?

Note: One of those two answers were posted after my comment

If it's not okay to post links to particular users or posts, feel free to remove it

• You can do almost anything in LaTeX. But that nice diagram he drew would take some serious TeX know-how. At least the other answer does use TeX for the more basic stuff. – user153918 Dec 1 '14 at 17:40
• @AlonsodelArte That answer was posted after my comment there! – Aditya Hase Dec 2 '14 at 5:59
• @AlonsodelArte No one is asking about making drawings in $\LaTeX$ – Aditya Hase Dec 2 '14 at 6:00
• Poor formulation, deceiving a reader into “LaTeX vs else” dimension. In fact, pros and cons of: MathJax, plain text, HTML/Unicode, and images shall be discussed explicitly and separately. – Incnis Mrsi Dec 2 '14 at 17:40
• I've got to say, that scanned solution looks pretty good to me. I doubt the average "scanned solution" looks this clear. – Brian Fitzpatrick Dec 2 '14 at 18:52

Good typesetting is one of the many dimensions on which answer quality is measured. All other things being equal, a well-typeset answer is better than a badly-typeset one. A badly-typeset answer might still be worth an upvote, but it is laboring under a handicap.

Scanned photographs of handwritten documents have less utility than properly typeset LaTeX, for several reasons: They cannot be searched. They are less resilient to changes in display equipment. They are harder for blind people to read.

But I don't think we should rule them out.

• Scanned photographs take longer to display. – Joel Reyes Noche Nov 27 '14 at 5:04
• I remember that being a serious concern in 1997. Is it still? – MJD Nov 28 '14 at 17:49
• @MJD Having slow internet connection (and paying for traffic by volume) isn't uncommon in developing countries. That said, I think the biggest delay is that photographs take longer to read. – user147263 Nov 28 '14 at 18:22
• @MJD Plus what if we lose net neutrality in America? Would StackExchange be able to pay for a special fast lane? – user153918 Dec 1 '14 at 19:01
• Accessibility (for the blind) is a great, oft-overlooked advantage. Also consider that for somebody on a mobile device or other form factor, a LaTeX answer might wrap in a more displayable way, while an image will require frustrating scrolling. – Chris Hayes Dec 2 '14 at 5:52
• @ChrisHayes actually Latex answer isn't properly shown on my device, it takes long for latex answer and it doesn't even properly fits in my screen, but handwritten image wins over this. – RE60K Dec 7 '14 at 11:27
• @ADG This is not at all an excuse for posting answers without using $\LaTeX$ – Aditya Hase Dec 8 '14 at 2:03
• If I am viewing SE on a network where Imgur is blocked then images are pretty much pointless.t – Ali Caglayan Dec 8 '14 at 19:25
• @ChrisHayes How does Latex provide better accessibility for the blind? That sounds interesting! – YoTengoUnLCD Jan 30 '16 at 22:03

Isn't one of the features of stackexchange that one can improve each other's posts. So what keeps you from editing posts to change the scans to mathjax?

In the end this is a mathematics site: and not knowing latex should not be something that limits people from posting their correct solutions. - But the answers should be improved by people who do know latex.

• Then make your post community wiki, I'll be more than happy to improve it. – Aditya Hase Dec 8 '14 at 1:57
• And no one is stopping me from editing, I'm a free man. – Aditya Hase Dec 8 '14 at 2:05