Mathematica ability of inputing things like integrals
"graphically" (for lack of a better term.) Sorry, I
guess I don't know how to express it more clearly. Or
maybe I'm not thinking about maxima the correct way.
You really maybe should take a look/try at TeXmacs.
http://www.texmacs.org/
It lets you type in math in graphical form, but normally maxima input
is in maxima form, just the output is tex like form. It actually
uses mactex.lisp (fateman's file). The interface was done by
A.G.Grozin@inp.nsk.su
It does not yet allow interrupts, but I think that is a solvable
problem, just as I do in netmath. You just have to listen for a
signal or listen on a second channel. Maxima can say accept a signal
and then do something, like stop the computation. Under windows I
have a hack winkill.exe which lets me get around the lack of signals.
Also it needs something to associate to each part of the tex
expression the maxima part which generated it. This should be
simple, yet would let mousing a subexpression.
This could be done on a second pass too: For example if
the maxima side remembered the lisp form of the tex expression it
sent, and then texmacs communicated back a certain string range
of the tex expression, then mactex.lisp could make a second pass
figuring out which subform caused the generation of the relevant
region of the string.
eg ((mplus) ((mexpt) $x ((mplus) $u $v))) ==> x^{u+v}
so if TexMacs said to maxima we have boxed something that is a
substring from 2 to 5, then it would be trivial for maxima to
know it was ((mplus) $u $v).
are actually rather low. I just like the illusion of
doing something worthwhile. ;-)
It is hard to know what is worth while till it is done. Sometimes a
snazzy interface helps attract users, even if it is not as effective
as a simple one.