Re: Plans for gnuplot version 5

[Philipp K. J. <ja...@ie...>]

> [shrug]
> Most of gnuplot's math syntax follows C, and the distinction between
> (int) and (float) also follows C. 
> I don't think that pulling in examples from python is relevant;
> languages all have their quirks and even a kitchen-sink tool like
> perl cannot simultaneous mimic all of them.
> 

I think this is the point: gnuplot does what C does.
10, even 5 years ago, this reasonably represented
users expectations.

I am willing to acknowledge that times have moved on.

Which brings us to two questions:
1) how much of a problem is this (really)?
2) how difficult would it be to change it (and what
   weird, unexpected fall-out might it cause)?

Regarding 1), I can offer this as "hard" data: on my 
public gnuplot forum (over at Manning), there have 
been 166 user questions over the last few years, and 
as far as I recall, this issue has NOT come up. (Not
a huge data set to be sure, but it does not support
an urgent need for action.)

Personally, it does bite me occasionally, and like
Peter, by habit I always append a dot to denominators,
and I'd be happy if I didn't have to do that anymore.
At the same time, I can think of far fewer situations, 
where I actually WANTED the integer arithmetic.

I have no way of assessing the effort (item 2). However,
speaking of Python again, I find it unsettling if a 
mature program changes some of its fundamental behavior
(as Python did/does). I am not convinced this issues is
urgent enough.

Best,

  Ph.