Re: [Axiom-developer] version control

[Gabriel Dos Reis]

root <address@hidden> writes:

[...]

| you see, we differ on fundamental philosophy.

Most certainly.

| you believe that the important part is the programming language code.

No.  Absolument no.  

As you used to say yourself, running code wins the debate.  
Think about it :-)

I believe in gradual improvements.  You want to take on the world
overnight, with antique tools, totally refusing gradual steps.

| you believe that latex failures are just annoying and can be skipped.

No.  I believe that when and where checking the latex files are not
necessary, there is no point on insisting on it.  You're certainly not
going to convince Foobar to use Axiom when you absolutely refuse to build
on his machine.

| you believe that documentation comes AFTER working code.
| you believe that it is important to write for the machine.
| therefore, dcoumentation, hyperdocs, video, etc are optional.

It is disappointing that you insist on mischaracterization on what I said. 

I'll repeat what I've said earlier.  There are various steps in
developments.  At some points it is absolutely necessary to check
everything.  On other points it is also convenient to check *just
some points*.  To accomodate for those needs, it is necessary that
some part of the process be optional.  There is no point on insisting
on video on my machine when the only thing I have is a simple VT
terminal.  That by no means implies that video is unimportant.  It
just isn't always useful in all circumstances.  

What part of that is unclear?

[...]

| i used to believe what you believe which is why axiom is so poorly
| documented. if we had thought about what was important we would now
| have a fully documented interpreter, compiler, makefiles, boot
| language and spad language. the algebra would include the theory and,
| if the technology was available, we would have videos of Manuel
| Bronstein explaining his code. Instead we have this pile of "just the
| important stuff" because documentation was optional and an afterthought.

Yoy're totally off track about what I believe is important. :-(

-- Gaby