4 ms·

Common Lisp is a nice modern programming language, too. Only SymPy yet has to be ported into it...

by jhgb 5y ago

mkl 5y ago
Maxima is implemented in Lisp, but is itself a separate language. SymPy is an ordinary Python library.
- jhgb 5y ago
  Yes, and it's a library that could be conceivably ported to Lisp. As Scmutils have shown, "lispy" languages with multimethods/generic functions are really suitable for building symbolic manipulation systems. So chances are that functional port to Lisp could provide a really nice interface to SymPy's functionality.
- pfdietz 5y ago
  And Maxima was created before Common Lisp even existed. Steele first presented Common Lisp at a conference in 1982, and CLTL1 wasn't published until 1984. As I recall, Maxima was first written for Franz Lisp. Older lisps like that used dynamic binding for all variables.
  - jhgb 5y ago
    Uh, Macsyma was first written for Maclisp.
    - pfdietz 5y ago
      Yes. Perhaps I was drawing too fine a line in distinguishing Macsyma from Maxima.
xvilka 5y ago
If anything, Julia language would be a better fit[1] for the new mathematical system. Its syntax is friendlier to the mathematical constructs than of Python. Not to speak about the speed. [1] https://juliasymbolics.org/ https://juliasymbolics.org/
- jhgb 5y ago
  Maybe. Maybe not. From what I understand, experience shows that when conceptualizing knowledge in this domain, at some point you may run into the need for a MOP, which Julia to my knowledge doesn't have.