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Math

The mathematics manual of style permits articles to use either HTML math, or LaTeX math with the <math> tag. The style that is already used in an article should generally be preserved. Please don't convert form one to the other unless there is some specific reason, as both styles are equally acceptable and there is no official preference towards either one. — Carl (CBM · talk) 20:40, 28 January 2013 (UTC)

But HTML math is so much more confusing and less flexible than LaTeX! Why would the latter not be preferred over it?
Neither is preferred in any official way. Each method has its adherents and detractors. The main disadvantage of LaTeX is that the font is so different from the normal font, in size, quality, and weight. The HTML math, when it works, generally has a much more pleasant appearance. And for simple math such as x=2, the flexibility of LaTeX is not very helpful. Logged-in editors can control the appearance of math somewhat but logged-out editors have no way to affect it. — Carl (CBM · talk) 00:53, 29 January 2013 (UTC)
Then why haven't the guys in charge of coding Wikipedia's MediaWiki-based software changed the default font settings used inside the wiki's '<math>…</math>' tags to match those used by normal text?
RandomDSdevel (talk) 20:21, 29 January 2013 (UTC)
The math is rendered into PNG images by software called texvc, which is (1) ancient and (2) written in OCAML which none of the active developers is fluent in. At the same time, at least some developers think the math is "good enough". They would argue that only a tiny proportion of articles use <math> in the first place, and the current system has the advantage of not using Javascript. More recently there was some talk of replacing texvc entirely with MathJax, but it hasn't happened yet and some dvs oppose it because it requires Javascript. So, basically, there is little chance that the existing system will be changed unless it is replaced entirely, and even that is not extremely likely. Personally, I think that converting to MathJax would be a great improvement, but at the moment we have to live with what we have. This has some up on the mathematics wikiproject talk page a few times, if you want to look in the archives. — Carl (CBM · talk) 20:42, 29 January 2013 (UTC)
You don't happen to remember which parts of the Mathematics WikiProject's archives these kinds of posts would be in would you? If you don't, that's fine since I was wondering if I could save myself the trouble of sorting through these archives; I'll just look through them myself.
RandomDSdevel (talk) 18:58, 31 January 2013 (UTC)
P.S.: Never mind, I found it.

wikEd Bug Help Request

User talk:Cacycle/wikEd#MathJax-Related wikEd Bug Report
RandomDSdevel (talk) 18:15, 20 April 2013 (UTC)

You didn't ask a question, but I doubt anybody but Cacycle and the editors who keep an eye on the wikEd page anyway can help you with that issue. Huon (talk) 18:38, 20 April 2013 (UTC)
Sorry, I meant to say that I needed some help on resolving this bug, and quickly; otherwise, I won't be able to use the functionality which this the bug that I mentioned above disables. After all, I can't really ask a question on the mathematics reference desk if I can't preview what I'm going to post beforehand, now, can I? If you don't know what to do to help, could you at least rally the forces and point them toward my bug report, which is unfortunately at the very bottom of the page which Cacycle has reserved for stuff like that?
— RandomDSdevel (talk) 15:57, 21 April 2013 (UTC)
The only one that can resolve your bug report is Cacycle himself. If he has missed your bug report (he is one man, might take some time), then you could send him an email from the toolbar links on his user page. Setting this {{helpme}} to {{helpme-helped}} as no-one other than Cacylce can actually help you. Technical 13 (talk) 17:33, 22 April 2013 (UTC)
Okay, thanks; I'll look into it. — RandomDSdevel (talk) 17:56, 22 April 2013 (UTC)

Rename

Sorry, there is no way to fix it short of disabling the universal account for your old account. MBisanz talk 23:16, 25 April 2013 (UTC)

Do you mean to say that I have to ask for my account to be renamed on every single wiki that I use? Can't you do it and then delete my old universal account? I don't want my old username to remain under my control on any of the wikis that I visit for the security reason I mentioned in my initial username-change request.
— RandomDSdevel (talk) 23:20, 25 April 2013 (UTC)
Yes, you'll have to request it on all projects where you are active. We aren't expecting to have global renames setup for a couple months. MBisanz talk 16:39, 27 April 2013 (UTC)
Ah, fiddle sticks; I only wanted to ask once! — RandomDSdevel (talk) 14:53, 30 April 2013 (UTC)