algorithms for 'invert', was: program works with maxima 5.29.1 but freezes with maxima 5.30.0
Subject: algorithms for 'invert', was: program works with maxima 5.29.1 but freezes with maxima 5.30.0
From: Steve Haflich
Date: Sat, 20 Apr 2013 04:49:06 -0700
On Apr 19, 2013 9:28 AM, "Robert Dodier" <robert.dodier at gmail.com> wrote:
> I realize that such heuristics are not foolproof, but it would be an
> improvement on the current situation, and in any event it is
> unreasonable to expect users to have any idea how to choose among
> algorithms.
Your observation prompts this silly, unactionable rumination:
One way to approach issues like this -- in modern times when most machines
have multiple processor cores, cycles ate cheap, and when there are even a
few lisps that support multiprocessing -- is to do both. Accept the result
from whichever completes first, and cancel the other(s).
Unfortunately this could never work for Maxima. Computational side effects,
isolation of state, and even potential user interaction would all have to
be carefully isolated, and Maxima would have to be redesigned from scratch.
That isn't going to happen.