Why REDUCE

We used REDUCE the first time when we performed some computer algebraic reduction, which is the only one we could used at that time. eventually, we have chance to use a few other computer algebraic languages. But there are some advantage to use REDUCE according to my understands.

1. Compared with SCHOONSHIP or FORM, REDUCE is slower, especial in the case to deal large expressions. But REDUCE is much more easy for a user to develop a complicated packages with enough efficiency since it is written on LISP. With the technical evolution of computer and system software, we obtain faster and faster CPU, larger and larger RAM and Hard Disk with cheaper and cheaper price, that make REDUCE run faster enough.

2. As just a user, Maybe Mathematical is a very good choose. It provides many functions. But to develop a complicate system, the user need a standard and convince language to construct many special function in his own system. REDUCE is a open system and written on LISP. By just reading the system source programs, any user who interested to the system could understand how the system work and lean to write a package with the efficiency almost the same as that written by the system developers.

3. There are algebraic and symbolic evaluation mode, the user could easily switch between these two modes to fulfill his needs. It is easy to see that to develop a system like FDC, there are many things which are just symbolic manipulation but not algebraic calculation.

4. There is a compiler. User could compile his program and obtain a faster binary which will be more than ten times faster than the un-compiled one.