Re: Default simplifications in Calc (adding simplifications)

[Jay Belanger <jay.p.belanger@gmail.com>]

Hi Štěpán,

Thanks for the feedback.

> I agree the simplifications should be done by default. I believe that
> even to someone who never used Calc, things like
>
>> * Calc will simplify `x+x+y' to `2x+y' but will not simplify `x+y+x',
>
> must seem strange (inconsistent from a user's standpoint).

I agree.

The manual mentions that i^2 isn't reduced to -1 in case the user
redefines the variable i.
Also, the case could be made that x/x isn't quite 1.
While the case could be made that these should be "unsafe
simplifications", they are pretty standard and in my opinion should be
default simplifications.

> Personally I can't imagine why anyone would _not_ want the
> simplifications done, esp. if they don't incur any (noticeable)
> performance loss.

Right.
When Calc first came out, they probably did cause a performance loss,
but I think the time has come to make them default.

Unless there are any objections, then, I'll make all of the
simplifications in Algebraic Mode part of the default simplifications.

Jay