Re: A question about Axiom capabilities, Fwd: [fricas-devel] Abstract Vector Algebra

>This is probably not very practical, but I was just trying to do a 
>thought experiment to investigate what would be required to have 
>variables that range over domains that are not numbers.

Actually, I wrote an NSF proposal to introduce "indeterminate integers".
This would be a first example of a special symbolic domain that would
create "arbitrary integers" rather than actual integers.

This is my approach to the Maple "assume" facility. I want to say that
the uderlying domain is an "indeterminate integer" rather than
"assume x is an integer". This idea seems more in-line with Axiom's
approach to computational mathematics.

I'm working on creating a sort-of "indeterminate matrix" domain based
on a prior question on this list so you can perform operations like

   (A B)^T => B^T A^T

where A and B are "indeterminate matrices".

I will note that the NSF will not fund open source projects.
Science can only occur if you are at a University. Sigh.

Tim Daly