On an unrelated note, why haven't there been any more modal editors?<p>For example, you could enter a "bold formatting" mode, where you could say type "fun" and it results in "𝐟𝐮𝐧". All these are Unicode characters, so you wouldn't need a separate document format like Word.<p>Presumably one can have a "math" mode where you could type math like you would type regular text obviating the dollar signs and backslashes in LaTeX.<p>As I understand it, LaTeX has an incredibly complicated architecture with multiple layers of macros before the lowest layer of TeX primitives. You could replace all that with Unicode symbols.<p>In math mode you could type "in" and get the Unicode symbol "∊". Then you would be able to copy-paste math and send it over email, instant messaging et cetera, and easily type it with a WYSIWYG editor using a traditional keyboard. Of course, there would be numerous problems with typesetting integration limits, fractions et cetera but I think these can be solved using Unicode and clever programming.<p>I currently do not solve say Group Theory problems on my computer because LaTeX is way too inconvenient.<p>I think on a hypothetical editor with a math "mode", one could touch-type math. Maybe I'm missing something and there are insurmountable obstacles to implementing such a solution. If so, I would be happy if someone could point out what they are.<p>Having different modes seems like a very powerful feature, and I'm just surprised the last editor using modes was written 40 years ago.