Robert Bradshaw wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Aug 2008, Jason Grout wrote:
> > Jason Merrill wrote:
> >> The Mathematica syntax is Hold[Integral[x,{x,0,1}]]. This remains
> >> unevaluated until it is wrapped with an Evaluate[]. The nice thing
> >> about this syntax is that it works for any kind of expression (not
> >> just integrals).
> > So maybe we could have something like a FormalExpression class
> > whichdoes the same thing (has an argument that it doesn't evaluate).
> Not sure how one would do this in Python though... (Maybe via
> preparsing somehow, it would still be pretty hard...)
>From the direction this discussion has taken I'm guessing that
nobody here is aware that selective evaluation is trivial in Lisp,
and Maxima. In both cases a single quote marks stuff that
isn't evaluated. Maxima further marks a distinction between
so-called noun and verb operators; nouns are formal expressions
and verbs are callable functions. E.g. integrate(...) is a function
call
and 'integrate(...) is a formal expression. I've omitted some details.
This kind of stuff yanks my chain in a bad way, unfortunately.
I gather it is more interesting to reinvent the wheel than learn
how to use existing, unfamiliar wheel technology. What makes
it worse is that there is talk of copying Maple and Mathematica
notation, which both have all sorts of warts. Blechh.
Oh gods, help me! I seem to be turning into RJF. Probably I
should just butt out of this. It will make no difference to you
and I will be happier in my ignorance.
FWIW
Robert "curmudgeon-in-training" Dodier
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