Jay Belanger wrote:
> Raymond Toy <toy.raymond at gmail.com> writes:
> ...
>
>> I also don't understand why the defaults for maxima should cater to the
>> least experienced and knowledgeable users.
>>
>
> Because they're the ones we want to start using Maxima, because
> they're the ones who are least able to change the defaults ...
>
>
Except that they're only a beginner once. Tell them how to change it,
point out the numerous web pages that explain floating-point etc. Once
they're past that stage, the defaults may be annoying.
And what about printing of bfloats? Bfloats are now printed with the
specified precision. When I use bfloats, I want to see all the extra
digits. Otherwise, double floats probably would have sufficed.
>> Maxima probably already does things they can't understand. We
>> aren't we clamoring to remove those things too? :-)
>>
>
> Such as?
>
>
I guess the smiley was not enough? I would think that if you can't
understand some points about floating-point, and can't understand
scientific notation (as someone else mentioned), then I would think most
of the symbolic stuff would be incomprehensible. (That's a generic
"you", not, you, Jay, in particular.)
But since I've been out of school for a long time, perhaps I am no
longer in touch with what students are capable of these days.
Ray