I assure you that very few people will run demo("tutorial").
In my experience, I almost never type something like c5. Except
maybe ''c5 to do f(x):=''c5.
I frequently type an old label like d5. If we allow %5 to be
a shorthand for %out5, that might be ok. or %[5] or running from
the current line, % is previous, %% pre-previous, %%% etc.
Raymond Toy wrote:
>>>>>>"Wolfgang" == Wolfgang Jenkner <wjenkner@inode.at> writes:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>
> Wolfgang> I don't think that it makes sense to boldly change the default
> Wolfgang> behaviour after thirty years or so because of anyone's taste and
> Wolfgang> habits (it has been mentioned that this would imply changing the
> Wolfgang> documentation; it would also mean typing 3 or 4 characters instead of
> Wolfgang> one), especially since it is so simple for the user to change things.
> Wolfgang> Besides, I think that it is important and more gratifying for the user
> Wolfgang> to learn how to change things. So, inspired by Emacs, I'd propose to
> Wolfgang> simply write a tutorial.dem and to mention in the Maxima banner
> Wolfgang> something like `Type demo("tutorial"); etc.' The point is that
> Wolfgang> instead of showing off Maxima's mathematical capabilities in such a
> Wolfgang> tutorial (which are taken for granted, anyway) we should help people
> Wolfgang> to get the hang of it.
>
>I like this solution best. Using %in, %out is ok, but more typing,
>and I tend to recall D lines quite often.
>
>This tutorial could also mention other things like setting line width,
>2D display, ? for help, :lisp to enter lisp, how to turn the Lisp
>debugger on, etc. I always forget how to turn the lisp debugger on
>because you need to set *debugger-hook* from the maxima top-level, not
>after running to_lisp(). I guess there should be a way to restore the
>default *debugger-hook* too.
>
>Ray
>
>_______________________________________________
>Maxima mailing list
>Maxima@www.math.utexas.edu
>http://www.math.utexas.edu/mailman/listinfo/maxima
>
>