MathType Editor's Review

Construct complex mathematical equations for your documents with this easy to use Windows tool.

One of the biggest problems I remember having way back in the day was writing papers for either my math or physics classes.  Back when I was in college, Windows wasn't around. Windows didn't really become Windows until well after I graduated from college.  I had access to word processors and such, but they were DOS based, and at the time, most people hand crafted complex mathematical expressions in their documents. It was just easier, and a lot more affordable than any programmatic alternative. This is why I like MathType. It constructs mathematical expressions on your Windows PC.

MathType allows you to enter mathematical equations as easily as you would write math with paper and pencil.  The app makes use of Windows 7's built-in handwriting recognition, though you'll need a PC with a touch screen in order to use this feature. You can also use its point and click editing features.  With Automatic Formatting, you can create equations quickly by choosing templates from MathType's palettes and plugging and chugging data into its empty slots. MathType applies mathematical spacing rules automatically as you type.

If you don't have a TabletPC or Windows PC with a touch screen, the app also supports customizable keyboard shortcuts.  If you already know the TeX typesetting language, you can enter equations directly into MathType or Microsoft Word documents. TeX editing can also be mixed with point-and-click editing. You can even paste in equations from existing TeX documents. Existing expressions can be saved to the MathType toolbar for repeated use later.

App Pro’s: Supports TabletPC and touch features, supports TeX or LaTeX, Supports every version of Office from Office XP forward

App Con’s: limited scope and use, pricey for such a scope-limited application

Conclusion: If you need to compose complex mathematical expressions for your Office documents, there's no better tool than MathType.  The app is easy to use, supports Windows 7's TabletPC extensions and touch enabled hardware. With support for Office XP forward, it's going to work with the version of MS Office you already own.  The only issue with the software is its limited scope and target audience.