[Tex/LaTex] Of parallel texts, lists and display equations

Question

In previous question concerned about taking notes while reading journal articles, I received an excellent answer proposing the use of parallel, parcolumns, and ledpar packages. However, I have the following problems with these packages:

parallel:
Doesn't play well with itemize and enumerate environments.
New info: Also creates an undesired vertical space on the non-equation column when using a display equation environment (see also illustration for parcolumns farther below).

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[top=0.3in, left=1in, right=1in, bottom=0.3in, includefoot]{geometry}
\usepackage[retainorgcmds]{IEEEtrantools}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\usepackage{parallel}

\begin{document}
  \begin{Parallel}{3in}{3in}
    \ParallelLText{\lipsum[1]}
    \ParallelRText{\lipsum[2]
      \begin{itemize}
        \item Hello World!
        \item Yeah!
        \item Hi there!
      \end{itemize}}
    \ParallelPar
  \end{Parallel}
\end{document}

parcolumns:
Using displaymath and similar environments (in this case IEEEeqnarray) causes an undesired vertical space before the equation, even affecting the other column:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[top=0.3in, left=1in, right=1in, bottom=0.3in, includefoot]{geometry}
\usepackage[retainorgcmds]{IEEEtrantools}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\usepackage{parcolumns}

\begin{document}
  \begin{parcolumns}[rulebetween=true]{2}
    \colchunk[1]{\lipsum[1]}
    \colchunk[2]{\lipsum[2]
      \begin{IEEEeqnarray}{rCl}
        E & = & mc^2
      \end{IEEEeqnarray}
      Some useful greetings:
      \begin{enumerate}
        \item Hello World!
        \item Yeah!
        \item Hey there!
      \end{enumerate}}
  \end{parcolumns}
\end{document}

ledpar:
It simply didn't typeset my text in two columns. Did I miss something?

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[top=0.3in, left=1in, right=1in, bottom=0.3in, includefoot]{geometry}
\usepackage[retainorgcmds]{IEEEtrantools}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\usepackage{ledmac}
\usepackage{ledpar}

\begin{document}
  \begin{pairs}
    \begin{Leftside}
      \lipsum[1]
      \begin{IEEEeqnarray}{rCl}
        E & = & mc^2
      \end{IEEEeqnarray}
    \end{Leftside}
    \begin{Rightside}
      \lipsum[2]
    \end{Rightside}
    \Columns
  \end{pairs}
\end{document}

I think I favor the parallel package overall. I just wish I could get around the itemize/enumerate problem. Any other tips?

Answer 1

If you go with celenius' answer to your old question and use the tufte-latex package, those problems don't appear. With its narrower right hand column and smaller font size, it's probably even better suited to your task of taking notes:

\documentclass[a4paper,justified]{tufte-handout}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\usepackage[retainorgcmds]{IEEEtrantools}

\begin{document}

\lipsum[2]
\marginnote{Here's some text that goes on the right side of the page. We'll make it long enough so the line wraps.
\begin{IEEEeqnarray}{rCl}
        E & = & mc^2
      \end{IEEEeqnarray}
      Some useful greetings:
      \begin{itemize}
        \item Hello World!
        \item Yeah!
        \item Hey there!
      \end{itemize}
}
\lipsum[1]

\end{document}

With a bit of tweaking, you can also get equal column widths and font sizes:

\documentclass[a4paper,justified]{tufte-handout}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\usepackage[retainorgcmds]{IEEEtrantools}

\geometry{textwidth=0.4\paperwidth}
\geometry{marginparwidth=\textwidth}

\begin{document}

\renewcommand\footnotesize{\normalsize}
\lipsum[2]
\marginnote{Here's some text that goes on the right side of the page. We'll make it long enough so the line wraps.
\begin{IEEEeqnarray}{rCl}
        E & = & mc^2
      \end{IEEEeqnarray}
      Some useful greetings:
      \begin{itemize}
        \item Hello World!
        \item Yeah!
        \item Hey there!
      \end{itemize}
}
\lipsum[1]
\end{document}