[Python-Dev] calculator module

[Raymond Hettinger]

>     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