How to make formated documents and convert to PDF?

[Yin Ming]

Hello,

At most time, I work with M$ Word in WIN2K. I hate its method of
formating document, that is, formating the struct with style, rather
than specifying the struct then applying the style set. I heard that the
latter one is used in uNIXes, such as latex or else. I need some points
to use an proper one, which is simple to used ( I just write simple
documents, with chapters, paragraghs, subject and comments... No math
or chemical symbols) and easy to convert to PDF. 

And it must support Chinese ecodings.
And, could I insert pictures in the documents?

-- 
ÒóÃù <yinming at mdc-ds.com>