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Re: precedence for ReplaceAll?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg110611] Re: precedence for ReplaceAll?
• From: AES <siegman at stanford.edu>
• Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 02:28:51 -0400 (EDT)
• Organization: Stanford University
• References: <i073p5$kn0$1@smc.vnet.net>

In article <i073p5$kn0$1 at smc.vnet.net>,
 Bill Rowe <readnews at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Sure, it might be reasonable to think the way the OP indicated.
> But to do so will clearly get in the way of using Mathematica
> efficiently. It is understanding what Mathematica actually does
> that is important here.

Quite true.

But if what Mathematica actually does differs, in some unexpected or 
arcane (or hidden) way, from what reasonable, or reasonably experienced, 
users might expect it to do -- and there certainly are some examples of 
this in Mathematica -- that's of some importance also.

Situations where this happens generally don't mean that Mathematica has 
to change its behavior -- that's not a realistic expectation in most 
cases.  But they do indicate that Wolfram might want to improve its 
documentation in those particular cases.