[BRLTTY] [orca-list] Handling data flow diagrams and system flow charts

[Daniel Dalton]

On Sat, Feb 09, 2013 at 05:13:30PM -0800, T. V. Raman wrote:
> >From the thread, it's unclear whether you're looking for
> solutions that will help you create or consume such diagrams  --
> the two questions are separate and should be thought of
> separately.

Certainly, but both I suppose. 

> consuming these plots --- for that I'd personally not focus
> exclusively on the graphs/plots, but on the actual material ---
> in most cases -- except if you're an arts student studying fine
> visual art, the visual  plots/graphs are a tool to help learning,
> not the material being learnt.

Ok yes, thanks it's a very good point actually. 

> 
> Once you're at the next stge, where you've learnt the material,
> and now need to express your own ideas e.g. a homework assignment
> --- is where you need to be able to create plots and graphs
> analogous to what was encountered at the first step.  

exactly 

> 
> For this, I'd personally use the following:
> 
> 1. Some of the drawing packages in LaTeX  -- my own personal
> favorite is the pstricks package.

I'll check it out. It sounds like a few people have suggested LaTeX
drawings actually. 
> 
> 2. For more complex problems I'd point at Asymptote --  an
> extremely powerful drawing program backed by a really nice
> language. 

Haven't heard of this one before, but again I'll check it out. 

> 
> Above all, look for drawing tools that let you say what you want,
> rather than tools that expect you to rely on visual feedback on
> the screen to adjust your drawing.

Yes. 

Thanks very much for your advice it is very useful. I'll now go
investigate these ideas a bit more. :)

Cheers, 
Dan