why are Canadians terrible at writing software?

[Asher]

They are interchangeable

They are not interchangeable.

I have to implement some completely braindead software. The software itself is quite excellently written, but the functional design is awful. But the requirements and the overall functional design of the software is independent of the implementation.

But thank you for finally understanding what "you're doing it wrong" means.

It clearly means you're not using the language properly as it is defined.

You can't go and expect what works in Mathematica would work in MAPLE. Just like you can't go and expect what works in C++ would work in Java.

[Kuciwalker]

It clearly means you're not using the language properly as it is defined.

You can't go and expect what works in Mathematica would work in MAPLE. Just like you can't go and expect what works in C++ would work in Java.

But I can go and expect Maple works like Mathematica where Mathematica has made obviously correct design decisions.

Moreover, this isn't a matter of expectation. I could expect Maple to be a steaming pile of ****, but that wouldn't make me any happier about having to spend an entire semester taking a class about it.

[Asher]

Back in my day we wrote complex math in C or FORTRAN then drew graphs to the screen manually.

I had to implement a real-time FFT (in a RESIZABLE WINDOW) graph when I had to write a custom OS in C in one course.

[Asher]

But I can go and expect Maple works like Mathematica where Mathematica has made obviously correct design decisions.

If mathematica worked exactly like Maple, there'd be no point or market for Maple.

Moreover, this isn't a matter of expectation. I could expect Maple to be a steaming pile of ****, but that wouldn't make me any happier about having to spend an entire semester taking a class about it.

Why would you waste time taking a class on Maple?

[Kuciwalker]

An FFT is exactly the sort of thing you don't need to use a CAS (computer algebra system) for. I guarantee you've never done any real CAS work in C or FORTRAN without using a premade library.

[Asher]

An FFT is exactly the sort of thing you don't need to use a CAS (computer algebra system) for. I guarantee you've never done any real CAS work in C or FORTRAN without using a premade library.

You can use premade libraries. Why preclude it? Never reinvent the wheel.

[notyoueither]

I see your problem. Try this

> xu := 3u:
  yu := xu:
  yu;
  xu := 4u:
  yu;
  uuuuuuuu;

[Kuciwalker]

If mathematica worked exactly like Maple, there'd be no point or market for Maple.

1) Strawman.

2) Not true, actually. My understanding is that Maple still exists for three reasons: it's somewhat cheaper, more of it is open source which has some benefits for academic research (re: verifying correctness and such), and enough faculty know it and don't want to learn something else.

Why would you waste time taking a class on Maple?

Required course for my math degree.

[Kuciwalker]

You can use premade libraries. Why preclude it? Never reinvent the wheel.

There's no functional difference between using a C algebra library vs. a dedicated CAS, except that the CAS is far more efficient and usable to that end.

[Asher]

1) Strawman.

2) Not true, actually. My understanding is that Maple still exists for three reasons: it's somewhat cheaper, more of it is open source which has some benefits for academic research (re: verifying correctness and such), and enough faculty know it and don't want to learn something else.

Maple is also used commercially.

[Kuciwalker]

So is OpenOffice.

[Asher]

FWIW my brother and SO both had to use CAS at the University of Waterloo (where MAPLE was created) and they use Mathematica.

[Kuciwalker]

We've used it [Mathematica] for every other course that has required a CAS, including my CS course on computer algebra algorithms.

[Felch]

Could this be easily fixed by assigning your variables types? It looks like otherwise it would be ambiguous.

[Kuciwalker]

CAS shouldn't have explicit typing...