RE: Re: Absolute coo
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg12752] RE: [mg12743] Re: [mg12715] Absolute coo
- From: Ersek_Ted%PAX1A at mr.nawcad.navy.mil
- Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 03:04:14 -0400
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Sean Ross wrote:
|
|Mathematica is a programming language, not a program. |
I like to think of Mathematica as a program, that has a built-in
programming language.
How many *programming languages* let you simply do: In[1]:= Plot3D[
Sin[x y], {x, -2, 2}, {y, -2, 2}] and get a 3D graphic? We don't even
have to define x, y as real numbers.
A system that lets me do an algebra problem like: In[2]:=Factor[x^6-1]
in one line doesn't seem like a programming language.
Well given that you see Mathematica as a programming language, I can see
why you are always complaining that we can't define a variable as a
real, or an integer, or positive, etc. I agree it will be wonderful
when we can make such statements, and this information will be used to
simplify results throughout the system. However, I hope the
Mathematica user will never be REQUIRED to specify the variable type
before using the variables.
Well maybe it is a lot easier to put labels on a graphic using (gnuplot
or Axum). I don't know, I never used them. However, I bet the
graphics is no where near as flexible as Mathematica graphics. I bet
the numerical capabilities are pale compared to Mathematica numerics.
I bet there are many areas where Mathematica is easier to use than
these other applications.
Ted Ersek