On 14 Nov, Richard Fateman wrote:
> 1. I refuse to download any CVS stuff and I resist all suggestions
> that I build versions of anything. I have better things to do with
> my time than try to debug C code, makefiles, etc for which I have
> no special expertise.
>
> 2. If you want me to help debug the macsyma code, I will do so starting
> from something like "install.exe" on windows. Bill Schelter
> had such an installation setup and I continue to use it more or less
> satisfactorily. If there is a replacement for this which is in all
> ways superior, please tell me and I will install it. I am running
> Windows 2000.
>
> 3. I suspect that any real user would want the same, and more. Like
> complete and accurate documentation, an uninstall script, etc.
>
Let me say that I'm a bit surprised by your attitude to FREE software!
I think most of us have better things to do (e.g. I am teaching
mathematics, as well), and I definitely have the same expectations
to software I have to PAY for.
But in the case of free software I consider it may tiny contribution
to help in finding bugs. Those who fix the bugs do a lot of work
and the burden to check successful build and tests should be shared
to a much larger group.
So, I have to return to preparing my next lesson,
regards,
Helmut Jarausch
Lehrstuhl fuer Numerische Mathematik
Aachen University
D 52056 Aachen, Germany