"It seems to me that Sage is hard to use, hard to change, apparently even hard to install."
Since when is writing Python code hard? "hard to change" please... simply (1) sage --clone blah (2) change file (3) sage -br "even hard to install" (1) tar -xvf sage.tar.gz (2) make (3) wait a little while Just exactly how easier does it have to be? On Fri, Jun 4, 2010 at 8:54 AM, rjf <fate...@gmail.com> wrote: > Self-praise is no recommendation. > > ( laus in proprio ore sordescit ) > > Consider the following quotation from this paper: > > In sharp contrast, open source libraries provide a great deal of > flexibility, since > anyone can see and modify the source code as they wish. However, > functionality > is often segmented into di fferent specialized libraries and advanced > algorithms > are hidden behind custom interpreted languages. One often runs into > trouble > trying to install dependencies before being able use an open source > software > package. Also, converting the output of one package to the input > format of > another package can present numerous difficulties and introduce subtle > errors. > > .... > Comment: How can one honestly claim, as a benefit, that "anyone can > see and modify the source code" > when it appears that experts have difficulty even installing already- > compiled packages? > > It seems to me that Sage is hard to use, hard to change, apparently > even hard to install. > This is not surprising. > > The claim that one could prove that some subsystem is correct by > examining its source code is an "in principle" argument of very little > practical use. Has anyone proved that any result from Maxima is > correct by examining the source code? Note that as one step you would > have to prove that the > Lisp compiler is correct... > > Regards > > -- > To post to this group, send an email to sage-devel@googlegroups.com > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to > sage-devel+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/sage-devel > URL: http://www.sagemath.org > -- To post to this group, send an email to sage-devel@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to sage-devel+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/sage-devel URL: http://www.sagemath.org
