Re: Adding a generic mathematical library

[Emanuel Berg]

Christopher Dimech wrote:

>> Calc was brought into the discussion as a way of opposing
>> the idea of a library. To say, we don't need it, because we
>> already have it.
>
> Incorrect, we generally do not accept new packages that
> substantially overlap with existing GNU packages.

That means the more you do this "program as a library", the
less you can have a common library for many programs.

So the solution to the problem cannot be done, because of what
is the result of not having it arranged soundly in the first
place. When it would have been super-easy. "Here, here is
math.el and string.el, use it and put new stuff in it!"
Instead, that stuff has ended up all over Emacs.

But it is what it is, anyone thinking that model is good, go
ahead and think so.

"We don't do generic libraries. We think it is normal that
a program that has nothing to do with ERC, Gnus and Calc to do
generic operations on strings and numbers require files that
are part of all these programs."

Instead of blaming why the problem cannot be fixed on others
who have nothing to do with that idea.

> The procedure is for GNU to have a given package to do
> a given job, and people in that area to contribute to and
> improve that package, working together, instead of having
> many packages that each do different parts of a job, each
> developed on its own.

In practice "program as a library" means the opposite.
Every program does a little of everything. Instead of adding
to the common library, what is missing is added to the
program. When something is needed by another program, instead
of bringing it from library, it brings in the first program.
Until there is something additionally needed, then that is
added, again not to the library but to the second program.
And so on.

> Is there a good reason why an association with them is
> so terrible?

Oh, absolutely not! Like I said, it is like this all over
the place.

Here, check out the string library! Only those files are all
over Emacs.

(shortdoc-display-group "string")

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal