Comment Yes, definitely. (Score 2, Informative) 180
LaTeX actually has quite a low learning curve, for the usual applications. I've gotten by for ten years with nothing but the first Lamport book and the occasional google search.
You will definitely find yourself typing much less boilerplate than with an SGML descendant. I don't know of other plain-text formats, which to my mind is crucial.
Also, the huge number of tools for working with LaTeX, DVI, and PostScript files means there's virtually always a solution to your current problem.
TeX and LaTeX do have some disadvantages for the serious typesetting hobbyist, but for writing academic papers, I firmly believe that there is absolutely no substitute.
You will definitely find yourself typing much less boilerplate than with an SGML descendant. I don't know of other plain-text formats, which to my mind is crucial.
Also, the huge number of tools for working with LaTeX, DVI, and PostScript files means there's virtually always a solution to your current problem.
TeX and LaTeX do have some disadvantages for the serious typesetting hobbyist, but for writing academic papers, I firmly believe that there is absolutely no substitute.
