Slashdot Mirror
Open Source Computer Algebra Systems
timdaly writes "A while back Slashdot had an article decrying
the lack of a good open source computer algebra
system. That is changing. There is a
conference scheduled for the end of May to define the development model and strategy for future work. Students of math, science and engineering will find this valuable. If you're tired of hacking open source editors and want something with a real technical challenge this is the area for you."
I have a collection of self-built RPMS for mathematics packages to try out if you like. Included are: drgenius, gap, geomview, gtkmathview, Macaulay2, maxima (a minor pain 'cause it depends on lisp), and others available at http://www.math.unl.edu/~rdieter. Enjoy.
I read the GiNac paper posted at the link.
Aldor (www.aldor.org) is a language that goes
well beyond the GiNaC language. It offers Types
as first-class objects (you can store them and
manipulate them), symbolic as well as numeric
evaluation, interpretation and compilation.
Frankly, though I'm certain to be flamed for this,
I find that doing computer algebra in C++ about
like doing division in roman numerals. It is
possible to do but it is the wrong notation and
notation is vital to thinking correctly (and
programming correctly). The closer a language's
syntax and semantics approaches to the problem
domain the fewer chances there are of mistakes.
I understood it to be a symbolic algebra package, somewhat like Maxima. (which is derived, I believe, from a version of Macsyma). Maxima is open-source but presumably the organisers of the conference consider it "not good enough" in some way.
Don't forget Octave, which is much analogous to matlab. There are even efforts to write compatibility libraries so matlab people will feel at home... :-)