> There is currently no way to do those kind of plots directly from
> Maxima, using plot2d, because I still have to figure out what to do in
> the case of gnuplot
With tcl-tk you can do a lot of things you can't in gnuplot; sliders is
an example. The advantage of gnuplot is that drawing routines are
already programmed and we only have to write a maxima-gnuplot interface;
but this has a lot of limitations, since maxima's graphic capabilities
depend on decisions made by others.
Graphic environments such as tcl-tk or wxwidgets give us a lot of
freedom, and it would be a great step forwards to design sliders, menus,
3d objects and whatever other fantasies, directly from maxima, probably
at a great cost of time and programming.
Despite the fact I maintain the draw package, I don't think gnuplot
should be our final solution.
This is my proposal. Since there is not a one-to-one correspondence
between tcl-tk and gnuplot, why not to concentrate plot2d and plot3d in
exploiting tcl-tk capabilities, letting appart the gnuplot
compatibility? I think this would speed up the development of openmath
and of all those features not available in gnuplot.
Just a pair of ideas.
--
Mario Rodriguez Riotorto
www.biomates.net