4.3 Generalities on the CAS

Some software of computer algebra are programs (for example Maxima), others are libraries (for example Mpfr or Zen). To know the exact nature of the software attached to a button, move the cursor of the mouse over this button and read the description that is displayed in the zone of the assistant's messages. For example, when moving the cursor over the ../../../icones/rosetta/zen2.gif

button, the message Zen - Librairie C pour calculs sur anneaux finis (Zen - C Library for calculations on finite rings) is displayed. Only executable programs are present on the Rosetta CD-ROM for Windows. The libraries are on the Rosetta CD-ROM for Linux.

When a software has an official icon, it is used as image for the button of the strip. For example, Singular (group Alg-2) has ../../../icones/rosetta/singular.gif as icon. When there is no official icon, the image used is merely the name of the software on a standard background. If the background has a light-blue contour (for example ../../../icones/rosetta/yacas.gif ) this indicates that the corresponding program is installed and usable from the CD Rosetta. If the background has a red contour (for example ../../../icones/rosetta/axiom2.gif ), this indicates either there is no version for Windows, or there is no executable program (case of the libraries), or there is a version for Windows of the program but that it is not yet installed (case of DoCon).