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Re: Re: Viewing packages in mathematica

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg102772] Re: [mg102755] Re: Viewing packages in mathematica
• From: DrMajorBob <btreat1 at austin.rr.com>
• Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:31:46 -0400 (EDT)
• References: <200908230932.FAA02210@smc.vnet.net>
• Reply-to: drmajorbob at yahoo.com

I like the "single app" approach just fine. I don't want to use four  
programs to accomplish one thing, as in the LaTex paradigm (as I  
understand it).

If we spend 95% of our time on Mathematica and 5% on "something  
interesting", the 5% is a hell of a lot more interesting (and varied) than  
any other app (to my knowledge) can accomplish for the same effort.

Bobby

On Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:43:23 -0500, AES <siegman at stanford.edu> wrote:

> In article <h6tv7b$drf$1 at smc.vnet.net>,
>  "David Park" <djmpark at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> So that is what happens with Mathematica. One wants to work on math, or  
>> on
>> some technical project, but one is always sucked down into a morass of
>> undocumented features, and computer science, and guessing. One spends  
>> 95% of
>> one's time working on Mathematica problems and 5% actually doing  
>> something
>> interesting!
>>
>
> My God, David!  It seems to me you have suddenly started to sound
> exactly like me, before I more or less gave up on posting on these
> issues and tried to get refocused on "actually doing something
> interesting" myself.
>
> Let me just say again:  I believe the core lesson in this saga -- or to
> phrase it differently, the core cause of this disaster -- is the attempt
> (one might say, if one wanted to be nasty about it, the megalomaniacal
> attempt) to have one single massive app that will be all things, provide
> all tools and capabilities, to all users, rather than some kind of much
> more modular approach.
>
> Can't be done, has never been done in this field.  Causes all kinds of
> problems, which get increasingly unsolvable as the basic system gets
> larger and expands out of control; ultimately suppresses creative
> innovation rather than enabling it.   Very sad, especially given the
> massive talent, massive accomplishments, and massive innovations that
> have now gotten so entrapped in the congealing molasses of Mathematica.
>



-- 
DrMajorBob at yahoo.com

• References:
  • RE: Re: Viewing packages in mathematica
    • From: "David Park" <djmpark@comcast.net>