kfp wrote:
>
> On Saturday, 13 September 2014 06:24:21 UTC+2, Bill Page wrote:
> >
> > Kurt,
> >
> > Thanks for the example output. I am glad that it works and maybe it is
> > still an argument to include gnuDraw in the next release even if we do
> > not extend the TeXmacs interface to use it easily.
> >
>
> *By all means*. I wonder anyway why it's not yet included.
>
Let me explain what I include in FriCAS. First, we
need to have appropriate licence for included code.
If author request inclusion, than it is resonable
to assume the he/she automaticaly gives the licence.
If we have code that is BSD licenced on the net,
then we can use it. But otherwise we have a problem.
In particular, we can not use code if there is no
licence.
Next, there must be some need. Sometime I see that
code is doing something interesting, sometimes
sombody writes that code is worth inculding.
But if there is no info I can easily overlook something.
Releated problem is description. Surprisingly it
is rare to get concise, accurate and undenstandable
description what code is doing. Too frequently there
is no description at all. Sometimes there is stated
goal, but no explanation what actually is accomplished
("xyz will streamline your software developement" --
what this actually means?). Sometimes there are
only examples with no descrition, sometimes
description without examples. Anyway I would like
to know what code is doing and that somebody actually
needs this.
Next, I need to know what should be included. It is
less trivial than it may sould because code may
appear in different places: as an attachemt in the list,
on the wiki, as a tarball, in somebodys git repo.
In many cases there are multiple versions and I need
to know which one should be included. Even I there
is a single version I need to know that this version
should be included and I am not overlooking something.
I normally try code before inclusion. For this I need
to get runnable code. If code modifies existing files
than diff is most convenient for me (I need to estimate
impact on existing code and diff is easyest way to do
this). If code is entirely new than say bunch of .spad
files or a tarball are fine. For trying it is good
to have some examples. In general there is good to
have some instruction. Let me add that normally I
have a slow link. So pictures are generaly undesirable,
I routinely ignore videos. "Rich" websites are a burden
as they need extra effort. ATM git is a burden for me:
on my main machine I accidentaly deleted my old git
installation and I hit problem installing new version.
So currently I need to pull repo to server and than
transfer files to my developement machine. I want
to evantually resolve problem with git, but just now
I prefer to spent time on FriCAS and not on git.
Also, I read at least part of code to get some confidence
that it is correct, readable and can be modified if
needed.
When there are problem with code than some fixes are
in place. If I am including code "mined" on the net
I normally do needed adjustment myself. OTOH if the
author request inclusion I write about things I consider
problematic and expect the author to resolve them
(fix or explain me that they are not a problem).
If author tells me the he/she does not know, how
to solve a problem I may do this myself. If
author does not respond problems may lead to (possibly
quite long) delay.
Now, coming to gnuDraw. IIUC it uses gnuplot to produce
graphs. I have used gnuplot in the past and I must admit
that for me FriCAS produced graphs looks nicer and were
easier to use. There are several years till last time
when I used gnuplot so it may improved. And I just
needed specific capabilities and did not look at other.
But given that before inclusion I want to have string
support from others that it is needed. IIRC after
first proposal for using gnuplot there was not much
support. Later few persons requested inclusion
so there seem to be enough support, but one request
lacked other info (up to now it was even not clear
what is requested). And even today I do not see
really clear proposal...
--
Waldek Hebisch
[email protected]
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