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.
And it's while they're beginners that they need be sold on Maxima.
> Tell them how to change it,
The people who know how to change the defaults can already change
them. The people who know how to change the defaults are the
non-beginners.
> point out the numerous web pages that explain floating-point etc. Once
> they're past that stage, the defaults may be annoying.
Maxima is customizable; whoever finds the defaults annoying can change
them.
>>> 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.)
Anyone ready to use a CAS should know scientific notation. I wouldn't
expect someone to know, by default, that what they type into Maxima
isn't what Maxima works with, which I think is what this discussion is
about.
Jay