This quote by Bill Thurston[1] makes it clear why we need to document the algorithms in Axiom (emphasis mine):
Mathematical understanding does not expand in a monotone direction. Our understanding frequently deteriorates as well. There are several obvious mechanisms of decay. THE EXPERTS IN A SUBJECT RETIRE AND DIE, OR SIMPLY MOVE ON TO OTHER SUBJECTS AND FORGET. Mathematics is commonly explained and recorded in symbolic and concrete forms that are easy to communicate, rather than in conceptual forms that are easy to understand once communicated. Translation in the direction conceptual -> concrete and symbolic is much easier than translation in the reverse direction, and symbolic forms often replaces the conceptual forms of understanding. And mathematical conventions and taken-for-granted knowledge change, so older texts may become hard to understand. In short, mathematics only exists in a living community of mathematicians that spreads understanding and breaths life into ideas both old and new. The people who wrote the vast bulk of Axiom's algorithms have either retired or died. They no longer maintain the code. We really must collect the papers and document the algorithms. This is especially critical going forward as open source projects tend to fall out of interest when real life makes it inconvenient to maintain code. Tim [1] http://blog.computationalcomplexity.org/2015/07/will-our-understanding-of-math.html _______________________________________________ Axiom-developer mailing list [email protected] https://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/axiom-developer
