Try using tlimit, which has significant algorithmic advantages over limit.
It gets both limits immediately as log(4)/2. radcan(%) simplifies that to
log(2).
It might be a good idea to set tlimswitch to true by default.
RJF
> -----Original Message-----
> From: maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu
> [mailto:maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu] On Behalf Of Poul Riis
> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 11:00 AM
> To: maxima at math.utexas.edu
> Subject: Two identical limits
>
> Why is
> limit(n*(1-(1/2)^(1/n)),n,inf);
> too difficult for Maxima while
> limit((1-(1/2)^(x))/x,x,0);
> (which essentially is the same) is easily found?
>
> Yours,
> Poul Riis
>
>