Re: my wish list for Mathematica next major version
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg60064] Re: my wish list for Mathematica next major version
- From: carlos at colorado.edu
- Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 00:24:57 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <dek750$a0a$1@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
I fully agree with the first item. Each year I normally teach
3 engineering courses (2 graduate, 1 undergraduate)
that use Mathematica as one of the tools for problem
solving. Typical undergraduate enrollment: 80-100,
graduate: 35-50, so it is not a tiny sample.
By far the 3 biggest complaints heard year after year:
1) Incomprehensible and untraceable error messages.
2) Lack of a simple debugger. Doesnt have to be GUI or
incremental. Anything is better than nothing.
3) Lack of effective interrupts. If user commands a stop,
stop instantly, wherever you are in a cell, and tell
user exactly where it did.
These are largely beginner users, not difficult to please.
For 1) they would be ecstatic with a low-tech device
called a line number.
In[] and Out[] baffle beginners since they are dynamic.
Since they serve no useful purpose, as a teacher I would
be very happy to see that 1980's anachronism removed,
and replaced by invariant markers.