On Tue, 2007-06-12 at 10:26 -0600, Robert Dodier wrote:
> > I disagree. The quote mark should stay, because it is correct
> usage. It
> > only *happens to work* in some cases without the quote mark.
>
> This is completely backwards. An expression which triggers an
> error when evaluated with symbolic values is an ill-behaved
> expression.
> The problem is in that expression, not in plot2d or any other
> function.
I'm also in favor of eliminating '( ) in that example. Most functions
that a beginner might attempt to plot with plot2d will work fine
with the current version of plot2d without quoting.
Telling beginners to
use '( ) every time they want to plot a function seems to me to
make their learning curve steeper. It would be better to let them
find out about the ' operator later on, when they run into trouble
with some particular function. The manual for plot2d could mention
that in some cases the quote might be necessary, but in other
manual sections when plot2d can be used without quote, it should
be used without quote.
Regards,
Jaime