Re: [Axiom-developer] Re: Hyperdoc

[C Y]

--- Ralf Hemmecke <address@hidden> wrote:

> Cliff, I don't know why it is better to write everything anew in
> LISP. Use the tools at hand and build something that can actually
> compete with current CAS (plural). We fight with the future and 
> haven't even reached the present.

I'm not claiming it is better - it is simply one of my interests.  My
interest in Axiom is a program that does mathematics Right.  That
includes human readable display of said mathematics, and formatting of
mathematics - Knuth's TeX represents a high point in this art, as far
as I am aware.  Some possible applications of typesetting quality
mathematical display don't seem to be well supported by TeX in its
current form.  So, what are the algorithms, tools, etc. needed to go
from ASCII text to DVI/pdf?  How do they work, what are their
limiations, can they be expanded to support high quality 2D
mathematical input as well?  Can the flexibility of the Lisp language
lend itself to new and interesting uses of these algorithms?

It's a long term interest of mine - I have not even started looking at
cl-typesetting yet.  It doesn't have any bearing on the Axiom project
in its current form, so I'll leave it be on this list.
 
> But still, we first need something reasonably good so that Axiom
> becomes more attractive to more developers. We desparately 
> need more people.

That's true, but what is "reasonably good"?  Do we need to first
implement a language and support environment that lets people explore
the connection between CASs and formal proof software?  (In my view
this direction is one of the only opportunities to provide a
sufficiently compelling mathematical tool to prompt people to retrain
themselves, but that's just my opinion.) I assume the "standard"
definition is "compiles and runs cleanly in modern environments and
provides a reasonably functional interactive environment"?

Cheers,
CY


       
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