Following recent postings, I would like to make some suggestions re. Maxima
syntax improvements:
(1) Its a very good idea to incorporate Matlab syntax for matrix
manipulations eg. a(1:4,[1 5 6]).
Apparently the program amatrix.lisp implements some of these features. I want
to run this with Maxima 5.10 and 5.12 but do not know from where to obtain
it. Any examples on how to use amatrix.lisp would be welcome.
(2) All Maxima function parameters, and variables used inside a function
should be automatically local variables.
Global variables used inside a function must be explicitly declared as
global, eg: global(x1,x2,y1).
This is how Matlab works.
(Mathworks claims that there are over a million people using Matlab.)
(3) I do not like forced indentation for blocks as used in Python, sage, etc.
This is a kind of a straight-jacket. The brackets used in Maxima are much
better. It seems that Python, sage, etc could have used something similar.
(4) Parts of Ruby and Matlab syntax, may provide some ideas for improvements
to Maxima syntax or a new Maxima syntax.
Regards,
C. Frangos.