RE: [Axiom-developer] Unit package question

[Martin Rubey]

Page, Bill writes:
 > Now I would like to see what Ralf sketched in Aldor written and
 > demonstrated in about this same level of detail and functionality.
 > 
 > Then perhaps we could code something similar to William's
 > approach (to the extent that I understand that it differs from
 > both Martin and Ralf).

I think that this is a very good idea.

And, I have to say that I think that you are quite right about the amount of
the material. HOWEVER: I dare say that too much documentation (in your sense)
is better than too little documentation.

In fact, I also feel *slightly* (!) at unease with the pamphlet approach. At
least on my computer it does take a little while to display the .dvi file,
searching text in .dvi is not as comfortable as in the .spad file, changing
things in the .pamphlet is not as comfortable either. So I end up experimenting
with the .spad file, then doing an ediff with the old pamphlet. It's ok, but
it's not perfect. An important thing would either be a fantastic pamphlet mode
for emacs or the possibility to retain a little of the documentation in the
source file.

I think that ++, +++ and -- comments might be very helpful in this regard. For
me, personally, it was always obvious that we should maintain the ++ and +++
comments. Meanwhile I think that we should also maintain -- comments. It is not
yet quite clear to me though, what sort of comments should go there so that
they fit in nicely in the pamphlet structure.

Well, I like the quote

"An ideal world is left as an exercise to the reader"...

Martin