[Date Index] [Thread Index] [Author Index]

Options to Power Expand

• To: mathgroup at christensen.cybernetics.net
• Subject: [mg863] Options to Power Expand
• From: Jack Goldberg <jackgold at math.lsa.umich.edu>
• Date: Thu, 27 Apr 1995 01:35:31 -0400

A week or so ago I posted a question about the desirability
of adding your own option to a built-in command.  I used 
PowerExpand as an example.  I want to thank Paul Rubin, 
Dave Wagner and Count Dracula (whoever he is!) for offering 
such informative comments, solutions and advice.  Since I 
proposed the question I hereby assume the "right of last comment"
otherwise known as getting the last word in.  
From the responses I have seen, I conclude that only Angels and 
Experts should dare modify built-in commands with options.  Far 
better is to simply invent your own function (say, in this case, 
InverseExpand) and, if necessary call the built-in command within 
the definition of your function (so in this example, I would call
PowerExpand within InverseExpand) thereby getting the functionality
of both.  There is simply too much intermeshing of commands and 
packages for the non-expert to unravel-and then again, why do it
if other options exist (no pun intended).
Jack