> (1) Arrays in Macsyma are just plain broken; we shouldn't preserve
> compatibility with them.
Agreed.
> (3) I'd make use_fast_arrays : true the default and prevent
> a user from resetting it.
use_fast_arrays:true has just as ridiculous semantics as standard
arrays.
use_fast_arrays: false$
a: [1,2]$
a[3]$ => error OK
a[3]: 5$ => error OK
a[1,1] => error OK
Now compare with the use_fast_arrays: true case.
use_fast_arrays: true$
b: [1,2]$
b[3] => error OK
b[3]: 5$ => no error ???
b[3] => error ???
b => [1,2] ??? setting b[3] didn't give an error, but has no
effect on b
c[1]: 5$
c => #<hash-table 234234234> (ridiculous internal thingy prints
out)
limit(c,x,inf) => internal error, limit doesn't know about arrays
d[1,1]:5$
d[1] => false ????
This is what comes from adding features without design.
-s