RE: [Axiom-developer] RE: Conference

[Bill Page]

On October 14, 2006 2:22 PM Gaby wrote:

> ... 
> On the other hand, I consider C++ "old" -- it started as "C
> with Classes" around 1979, with first release in 1989.  Still,
> today, it draws lots of enthusiasm.  I suspect, it [lack of
> enthusiasm for Lisp and Aldor] is not just being old.
>

Good point. Similarly I am sure that many people would argue that
their enthusiasm for Python is also not just because it is new.
I recently read the book: "Python Scripting for Computational
Science, 2nd edition" by Hans Petter Langtangen, Springer, 2006.
See: http://folk.uio.no/hpl/scripting Contrary to some of the
opinions expressed by Tim about Python and it's relationship to
Lisp, I think we *must* also consider Python when we talk about
the possible future of Axiom.

> I very much enjoy working through Axiom codes (even when I
> scream!), thinking that people like Jenks invented it.
>

Tim Daly has referred to this as "software archeology" and I think
that is an apt description. Depending on one's point of view this
might seem either "fun" or very "frustrating". Cetainly it is one
of the current goals of the Axiom project to recover and document
as much of the huge intellectual investment in Axiom as possible.
So I guess this makes us especially sensitive to the notion of
trying not to "re-invent the wheel".

> But, some of the issues I have with the project has less to do
> with its age than some "management" choices that I believe don't
> push Axiom to more exposure.  We've already debated those, so I'm
> not going to elaborate here.  I just hope that as we work toward
> making the system more accessible, we would attract more (younger)
> people to revitalize the projects. 
> 

Hear, hear!

Regards,
Bill Page.