Re: [Maxima-discuss] indexes and summation conventions / subscripts etc

[Raymond T. <toy...@gm...>]

>>>>> "Robert" == Robert Dodier <rob...@gm...> writes:

    Robert> On 2015-12-16, Richard Fateman <fa...@be...> wrote:
    >> the notation for differentiation  as   f'(x),  f''(x)   or totally 
    >> bizarrely    d^2f(x)/d^2x  or  f with dots above,
    >> or d_x{f}  etc ..
    >> could also be used,
    >> 
    >> but we use diff(f(x),x,2)

    Robert> Well, this is actually analogous to what I'm proposing with generalized
    Robert> subscripts, right? The user enters an unambiguous, clunky notation,
    Robert> which is displayed in a "nice" (according to somebody) way by the
    Robert> pretty printer. 

    >> The Einstein convention may be handy, and it may have been more-or-less
    >> reasonably implemented in Maxima programs

    Robert> Well, if it's clumsy, confusing, ugly, etc -- don't use it. The index
    Robert> stuff (at least in the form I'm proposing) doesn't change any existing
    Robert> stuff.

    >> should not be used by (physicists?) to insist that programmers should
    >> hack endlessly on the program.

    Robert> Needless to say, we're all volunteers here, and if someone wants to work
    Robert> on goofy display stuff, why should we stop them? Nobody's forcing
    Robert> anybody to do anything. 

Open source means they can do whatever they want with their own copy.
That doesn't mean this particular copy needs to take their goofy
changes.

I rather like being able to display tensor stuff this way; I just
don't like the confusion it can cause.  My old eyes aren't so good
anymore.

And you're wrong aobut forcing people.  I may not want to use it, but
perhaps the only package that solves a problem for me uses it.  Now I
have two choices: use the package, or write my own.

--
Ray