On Fri, 2004-07-23 at 10:15, Richard Fateman wrote:
> For some programs I've written in common lisp and want
> to use with maxima, it would really help if we had an
>
> Introduction into Maxima code of the common lisp
> constructions for
> (a) rational numbers
> and
> (b) complex numbers
>
> My guess is that the only way to do this is for
> someone to make a good effort to replace ((rat) 1 2)
> etc everywhere with common lisp 1/2 ... created by (/ 1 2)
>
> and similar changes to a+b*%i for numerical a,b.
This isn't on the current todo list, but I agree that it probably should
be. I wince every time I think about the internal representation of
complex numbers in the current Maxima. (I guess I don't think about the
internal representation of rationals as often as I should, but I do
enough wincing as it is.)
> Probably a sketch of
> 1. Pro and Con (why do it?)
> 2. Forseeable glitches and fixes
> 3. How to stamp out the unanticipated problems.
Yes. All of the above would be helpful.
> maybe an alternative fork of the source?
I don't think that's necessary. I think we could make the change after
the next round, which will be upper/lower case issues. These low level
changes are painful, but I think the quicker we can get them over with,
the better.
--Jim