[Python-Dev] calculator module (original) (raw)

Raymond Hettinger python at rcn.com
Wed Mar 10 07:58:23 EST 2004

Raymond> I was thinking that if a student's calculator can do something, Raymond> then Python ought to handle most of the same tasks right out of Raymond> the box.

Hand-held calculators aside, my model for what a computer-based calculator should be able to do is the graphing calculator which came with Mac OS9. It was actually developed by Pacific Tech and bundled by Apple. There are no plans for an OS X version. The screenshots at the URL below will give you an idea of what it can do. http://www.pacifict.com/Gallery.html

Thanks, that was a useful link and will include it in the PEP.

However, I do want to keep the scope much smaller than that. Symbolic algebra and spherical coordinates are too much fire power. I would like something that normal folks can use without reading ten pages of docs. Ideally, no reading would be required at all, just import it and go.

OTOH, a separate symbolic package might make python much more attractive for use in secondary education.

Raymond

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