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Re: Re: New version, new bugs

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg51780] Re: [mg42582] Re: New version, new bugs
• From: DrBob <drbob at bigfoot.com>
• Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2004 02:54:09 -0500 (EST)
• References: <200307170745.DAA22964@smc.vnet.net> <oprsgqg4q9amtwdy@smtp.cox-internet.com>
• Reply-to: drbob at bigfoot.com
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

This was fixed in version 5.0, but it's broken again in 5.0.1:

N[Pi,20]
InputForm[%]

3.1415926535897932385

3.14159265358979323846264338358737222874`20.

InputForm[%, NumberMarks -> False]

3.14159265358979323846264338358737222874

We're supposed to see 20 digits in the last output, according to the Book, section 3.1.4.

Bobby

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 11:23:18 -0500, Dr Bob <drbob at bigfoot.com> wrote:

> In version 5:
>
> N[Pi,20]
> InputForm@%
>
> 3.1415926535897932385
>
> 3.141592653589793238462643383\
> 58737222874`20.
>
> InputForm[%,NumberMarks\[Rule]False]
>
> 3.1415926535897932385
>
> But I agree the bug-reporting and repair process is broken.
>
> It needs to be much more transparent -- if what we think and feel countsfor anything.
>
> Bobby
>
> On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 03:45:03 -0400 (EDT), Ersek, Ted R<ErsekTR at navair.navy.mil> wrote:
>
>> In response to some reported bugs Andrzej Kozlowski wrote:
>> I agree that the other bugs you mention are awful and ought to have been
>> fixed long ago. Some of them at least seem pretty trivial to fix and it
>> seems that the only reason why they haven't been fixed is that they were
>> never recorded on a "to be done" list. I feel that something is seriously
>> amiss when a reported bug that does not require a major re-write of the
>> kernel is not fixed: at least the person who reported it ought to begiven
>> an explanation why it has not been done. It looks to me that Wolfram's
>> entire bug-reporting system needs a serious reconsideration. -------------
>>
>> -------
>> The Wolfram Research process for testing and fixing bugs is badly brokenat
>> Wolfram Research.  For more evidence of this consider the following.  The
>> Mathematica Book (4th edition) section 3.1.4 gives the following on page
>> 722.
>>
>> In[11]:=N[Pi,20]
>> Out[11]= 3.1415926535897932385
>>
>> In[12]:=InputForm[%]
>> Out[12]//InputForm = 3.141592653589793238462643383279503`20
>>
>> In[13]:= InputForm[%,NumberMarks->False]
>> Out[13]//InputForm = 3.1415926535897932385
>>
>>
>> I am using Mathematica 4.1 under Windows 98, and I get Out[13]//InputForm= InputForm[3.141592653589793238462643383279503`20, NumberMarks -> False]
>> from the last line above.
>>
>>
>> Someone at Wolfram said this probably works on the platform that was usedto
>> make The Mathematica Book.  I reported this problem several months before
>> version 4.0 was released, and it still wasn't fixed even in version 4.1. I
>> don't know if it works in version 4.2 or 5.0, but I wouldn't bet on it.
>> Shouldn't they be embarrassed that some versions of Mathematica can't do
>> something that is demonstrated in The Mathematica Book?  I can't believe
>> fixing this would require a great deal of effort, and I find it appalling
>> that they can't be bothered to fix it.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Ted Ersek
>>
>>
>
>
>



-- 
DrBob at bigfoot.com
www.eclecticdreams.net