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Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

maxima.sourceforge.io

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Re: Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

#41

Post by chongli »

meltyness wrote: post #39
chongli wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is Sagemath then? I have used it many times and I assumed it was a CAS alternative to Maxima. Is it actually just a big library built on top of Maxima? Sort of like how LaTeX is a library on top of TeX?

In this case, Sagemath contains a domain that interfaces heavily with Maxima. By default Symbolic Calculus, which is a pretty common use-case since the space of integral-tables is huge and complicated, makes pretty heavy use of calls to Maxima as a backend, but it can slip over to SymPy, and some others pretty easily. Sagemath is, a little rough to use as a novice-y math guy, really quirky especially since Python isn…

Sagemath is, a little rough to use as a novice-y math guy

Yeah I mainly used it in my real analysis, complex analysis, and differential geometry classes. Also used it a bit in an intro cryptography class to play around with some rings and solve assignment problems.

I'm using Python right now in a neural networks class and I hate it. It's absolutely horrible to debug. You press run and then your neural network starts training and then craps out with divide-by-0 after a long time and no clue as to where the offending code might be.

Re: Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

#42

Post by anthk »

tgv wrote: post #14

Quick note to avoid disappointment: maxima itself is a text application. wxMaxima is a graphical front-end with conventional math notation. Output only. You'll frequently encounter text/command-line options, though. E.g., when you pick a command like differentiate from the menu, and you want to apply it to the previous result, you'll have to enter something like %o10 (no need to guess; you'll see the reference in the…

       rlwrap maxima. Use your Emacs keybindings from the shell (actually, readline) into it.

Re: Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

#43

Post by curling_grad »

meltyness wrote: post #39
chongli wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is Sagemath then? I have used it many times and I assumed it was a CAS alternative to Maxima. Is it actually just a big library built on top of Maxima? Sort of like how LaTeX is a library on top of TeX?

In this case, Sagemath contains a domain that interfaces heavily with Maxima. By default Symbolic Calculus, which is a pretty common use-case since the space of integral-tables is huge and complicated, makes pretty heavy use of calls to Maxima as a backend, but it can slip over to SymPy, and some others pretty easily. Sagemath is, a little rough to use as a novice-y math guy, really quirky especially since Python isn…

While I generally agree with you, but I'd like to point out that Sagemath is more than a "Mathematica alternative". It seems like Sagemath is a better fit for some fields like cryptography, given its strong support for operations related to abstract algebra.

Re: Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

#44

Post by msla »

anthk wrote: post #42
tgv wrote: post #14

Quick note to avoid disappointment: maxima itself is a text application. wxMaxima is a graphical front-end with conventional math notation. Output only. You'll frequently encounter text/command-line options, though. E.g., when you pick a command like differentiate from the menu, and you want to apply it to the previous result, you'll have to enter something like %o10 (no need to guess; you'll see the reference in the…

rlwrap maxima. Use your Emacs keybindings from the shell (actually, readline) into it.

imaxima is a Maxima mode for Emacs which renders equations in the Emacs buffer:

https://sites.google.com/site/imaximaimath/

> Imaxima provides a graphical user interface front-end for the computer algebra system Maxima in an Emacs buffer. Imaxima processes the output from Maxima with LaTeX to beautifully render the mathematical formula. It inserts the rendered math formula image in the buffer.

Re: Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

#45

Post by kbk »

I like maxima and used to use it (through the interface wxmaxima or KDE Cantor) for solving my physics problem. I am no expert in CAS, just use them for simple problem solving.

However, since I stumbled upon this blog post by Thingwy https://thingwy.blogspot.com/2015/07/maxima-versus-mathemati..., I find myself uneasy when using maxima. I quote Thingwy:

    “Maxima gets elementary math wrong, it knows very little about integration, it is weak on simplifying expressions, it fails on trivial equations, it is slow, Maxima usage is discouraged by CAS power users. In summary: do not go and waist your time or wreck your nerves using Maxima. JUST DON'T DO IT”
Since this was in 2015, I want to know the situation now, and the comments of experts on the issues raised by the blog poste.

(Excuse my bad English)

Re: Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

#46

Post by fiddlerwoaroof »

kbk wrote: post #45

I like maxima and used to use it (through the interface wxmaxima or KDE Cantor) for solving my physics problem. I am no expert in CAS, just use them for simple problem solving. However, since I stumbled upon this blog post by Thingwy https://thingwy.blogspot.com/2015/07/maxima-versus-mathemati... , I find myself uneasy when using maxima. I quote Thingwy: “Maxima gets elementary math wrong, it knows very little about…

I’m a bit suspicious of the section saying “Maxima is slow” blaming linked lists. Maxima is built on Common Lisp which definitely has arrays and vectors, so the claims made there seem a bit uninformed. I don’t really know enough math to judge the rest, though.

Re: Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

#47

Post by 2b3a51 »

Reduce is another lisp based computer algebra system from the prehistoric times, now open sourced.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduce_(computer_algebra_syste...

https://reduce-algebra.sourceforge.io/

I paid money for a Reduce release for RISCOS back in the last ice age. I recollect having to register my licence with the Rand Corporation for some reason.

Re: Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

#48

Post by camel-cdr »

kbk wrote: post #45

I like maxima and used to use it (through the interface wxmaxima or KDE Cantor) for solving my physics problem. I am no expert in CAS, just use them for simple problem solving. However, since I stumbled upon this blog post by Thingwy https://thingwy.blogspot.com/2015/07/maxima-versus-mathemati... , I find myself uneasy when using maxima. I quote Thingwy: “Maxima gets elementary math wrong, it knows very little about…

> it knows very little about integration

Somewhat related: I've read before that the FOSS CAS Axiom has the only kinda complete implementation of the Risch algorithm for integration. Axiom looks harder to use, but maybe it's an option.

(I don't know anything about the topic)

Re: Maxima: A computer algebra system written in Common Lisp

#49

Post by forgotpwd16 »

kbk wrote: post #45

I like maxima and used to use it (through the interface wxmaxima or KDE Cantor) for solving my physics problem. I am no expert in CAS, just use them for simple problem solving. However, since I stumbled upon this blog post by Thingwy https://thingwy.blogspot.com/2015/07/maxima-versus-mathemati... , I find myself uneasy when using maxima. I quote Thingwy: “Maxima gets elementary math wrong, it knows very little about…

Checked the examples and Maxima still fails. It's even more disheartening that author mentions towards the end that had reported those issues years before they wrote the article. I had also used Maxima before and, though unsurprisingly found it less polished than Mathematica, got the job done without issues. But will probably refrain from recommending it. Would also like to see how other systems tackle those examples.
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