
FriCAS – an advanced computer algebra system - unicas
http://fricas.github.io/api/index.html
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zokier
Wikipedia luckily provides some context, as the linked page is bit spartan:

> In 2007, Axiom was forked twice, originating two different open-source
> projects: OpenAxiom[3] and FriCAS,[4] following "serious disagreement about
> project goals".[5] The Axiom project continued to be developed

So FriCas is one of the three main branches of Axiom. But what is Axiom?

> Axiom is a free, general-purpose computer algebra system. [..] which defines
> a strongly typed, mathematically (mostly) correct type hierarchy [..] and a
> sophisticated (dependent) type system

> The primary philosophy is that Axiom needs to develop several fundamental
> features in order to be useful to the next generation of _computational
> mathematicians_

This helps make sense of the description of FriCAS

> FriCAS is a general purpose computer algebra system with a strong _focus on
> mathematical research_ and development of new algorithms

So in summary sounds something that is more aimed to actual mathematicians
rather than engineers or other scientists who would be more interested in
practical applied methods.

Of the forks, FriCAS on a surface level seems the most alive. Original Axiom
had its last release in 2014, but appears to still have some ongoing
development. OpenAxiom had last release in 2013 and last commit in 2015, so it
feels pretty dead to me. FriCAS meanwhile has had 9 releases since 2014 and at
least some activity in GitHub.

~~~
daly
The last Axiom update was just this week (March 21, 2019). In general, Axiom
is updated about once a month.

The current Axiom effort is directed toward proving the algorithms. The
research combines computer algebra with proof theory. A survey done last year
shows that there is almost no overlap between these two fields of
computational mathematics.

Computer algebra IS mathematics. The present state of the art is "works-for-
my-case" implementations. That is fine for the short term but Axiom focuses on
the "30 Year Horizon". Early computer algebra systems did integration "by
heuristics". Systems like Axiom use the Risch algorithm.

The next generation systems should use proven algorithms. At this time this is
still an open research area. Axiom was originally a research platform (at IBM
Research) and, as open source, still retains its research focus. Research
takes time.

This is a difficult research problem. Not everyone agrees it can or should be
done. "Works-for-my-case" implementation is easier.

Axiom and Fricas are not in competition. We simply have different goals. The
Fricas people are doing excellent work. I would encourage you to try the
software.

Tim Daly (Axiom Lead Developer)

~~~
zokier
> The last Axiom update was just this week (March 21, 2019). In general, Axiom
> is updated about once a month.

The website could be made clearer on that part. I was reading these pages
which imply 2014 being last release

[http://www.axiom-developer.org/axiom-
website/releasenotes.ht...](http://www.axiom-developer.org/axiom-
website/releasenotes.html)

[http://www.axiom-developer.org/axiom-
website/currentstate.ht...](http://www.axiom-developer.org/axiom-
website/currentstate.html)

On the other hand, the download page has 2017 version available as the latest

[http://www.axiom-developer.org/axiom-website/download.html](http://www.axiom-
developer.org/axiom-website/download.html)

If the project is alive and active, please let show so people would be more
inclined to try it out.

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dTal
The API search is odd thing to link. This is a better home page:

[http://axiom-wiki.newsynthesis.org/FrontPage](http://axiom-
wiki.newsynthesis.org/FrontPage)

There's a very interesting and insightful commentary from one of the authors
here: [http://axiom-wiki.newsynthesis.org/PanAxiomCommunity](http://axiom-
wiki.newsynthesis.org/PanAxiomCommunity)

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phkahler
How does it compare to Maxima?

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xiaodai
Anyone here used Magma? I was University of Sydney grad and I have fond
memories of using Magma.

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tehsauce
Anyone with more knowledge of this know what exactly it is, or how it works?

~~~
jonsen
I got a pretty good idea from skimming the FriCAS book:

[http://fricas.sourceforge.net/doc/index.html](http://fricas.sourceforge.net/doc/index.html)

