This is an area that needs some enhancements, in my opinion. Indeed, index change can be done easily by hand for accomodating diverse sums like sums over even/odd/half integers, etc, to the standarized sum over an integer range. But I find that an extension to sums over sets defined by conditions or predicates, and boolean operation over such sets, is frequently needed and would be very handy.

As I see, for this case Mathematica has a syntax extension allowing for a step in the sum range:

In[1]:= Sum[1/i^2,{i,2,Infinity,2}]
          2
        Pi
Out[1]= ---
        24

In[2]:= Sum[1/i^2,{i,3/2,Infinity,1/2}]
                  2
        -15 + 2 Pi
Out[2]= -----------
             3

I think that it should not be very difficult to implement in Maple.

This is an area that needs some enhancements, in my opinion. Indeed, index change can be done easily by hand for accomodating diverse sums like sums over even/odd/half integers, etc, to the standarized sum over an integer range. But I find that an extension to sums over sets defined by conditions or predicates, and boolean operation over such sets, is frequently needed and would be very handy.

As I see, for this case Mathematica has a syntax extension allowing for a step in the sum range:

In[1]:= Sum[1/i^2,{i,2,Infinity,2}]
          2
        Pi
Out[1]= ---
        24

In[2]:= Sum[1/i^2,{i,3/2,Infinity,1/2}]
                  2
        -15 + 2 Pi
Out[2]= -----------
             3

I think that it should not be very difficult to implement in Maple.

@Tim Vrablik 

The problem with the link that was generated is that it has taken the closing bracket. I had the same problem shortly ago with a similar phrase containing a help link between brackets. I could not correct the link from the graphical editor and had to go to the html editor and edit the anchor tag content.

@Tim Vrablik 

The problem with the link that was generated is that it has taken the closing bracket. I had the same problem shortly ago with a similar phrase containing a help link between brackets. I could not correct the link from the graphical editor and had to go to the html editor and edit the anchor tag content.

@acer 

Presumably, what underlies the graphic is TypeMK stuff. And the 2D parser should be run on the on it and make the conversion to 1D for generating the content of the tool-tip. I think that it could be done and help somewhat. However, differences in syntax, ambiguities and bugs in the 2D parser may still hit. So, even if that tooltip will ever work I would not advise using 2D for anything but elementary input. But of course, the Spanish saying holds: "Sobre gustos no hay nada escrito" (translations to English).

@acer 

Presumably, what underlies the graphic is TypeMK stuff. And the 2D parser should be run on the on it and make the conversion to 1D for generating the content of the tool-tip. I think that it could be done and help somewhat. However, differences in syntax, ambiguities and bugs in the 2D parser may still hit. So, even if that tooltip will ever work I would not advise using 2D for anything but elementary input. But of course, the Spanish saying holds: "Sobre gustos no hay nada escrito" (translations to English).

@john2032 

First of all, Classic and Standard are two different Graphical User Interfaces to the full Maple. And this means using a worksheet and 1D input. On the other hand, 2D input is a somewhat different language and may result in unexpected problems when used beyond elementary computations. And interaction through menus and palletes is restricted, certainly not providing access to the full Maple.

So, my advice is to use worksheets in 1D input, and better Classic than Standard.  

@john2032 

First of all, Classic and Standard are two different Graphical User Interfaces to the full Maple. And this means using a worksheet and 1D input. On the other hand, 2D input is a somewhat different language and may result in unexpected problems when used beyond elementary computations. And interaction through menus and palletes is restricted, certainly not providing access to the full Maple.

So, my advice is to use worksheets in 1D input, and better Classic than Standard.  

Never heard of this convention. Quite interesting. It seems to deserve a systematic implementation. For even/odd and finite explicit sums, I would do:

add(f(i)*`mod`(i,2), i=1..5);
                          f(1) + f(3) + f(5)

Never heard of this convention. Quite interesting. It seems to deserve a systematic implementation. For even/odd and finite explicit sums, I would do:

add(f(i)*`mod`(i,2), i=1..5);
                          f(1) + f(3) + f(5)

@PatrickT 

As you mention my "rebirth" without any points, I think that I have to review a bit of history about some events around the start time of primes 2. I have participated in primes 2 beta with my primes 1 username "jakubi". When primes 2 was definitely launched at the begining of June I had several problems to login after migrating my primes 1 account with the same username. As solving these problems was taking long, I had to create a new account with username "Alejandro Jakubi" so as to be able to login.

During this beta period I have criticized strongly several design problems of the new site, including the issues of reputation and voting. In particular, I have expressed my will to be excluded from this system which I have considered from the start as completely wrong. So, I have said:

I am not interested in voting for other posts and I do not want other people vote for my posts. So, please let me remove this number from my posts.

And I keep this position: I do no vote, and correcting to pagan I do complain about beeing voted up or down, moreover in an anonymous way, without the reasons for the vote. Frankly, I am interested in learning from discussions and up/down vote bare figures tell me nothing interesting. Moreover I do consider that this anonymous voting system is open to diverse manoeuvers. In view of the recent difficulties for handling spam I am even more concerned than then.

For the record I have appended below those parts of the betatest feedback thread dealing with these issues of reputation an voting, as extracted from my archive.

And then, during the first days after this launch of primes 2, I have realized of even worst problems. So, I have decided to use my old account "jakubi" only for some posts relative to salvaging what was possible from the remains of primes 1 heritage (like here). And I have used my new account "Alejandro Jakubi", very proudly with a reputation value of 0, as a sign of protest against this situation.

For this purpose, I have began posting only comments, as a way to keep it vote-free. But I have not realized of a system manager little trick: some of these comments were suddenly converted into answers and immediately voted up. Though I have converted them back into comments as soon as I could, the effect on the reputation figure was irreversible. So, sadly, this account got some positive reputation figure.

Later, as I began my lobby campaign, I decided to make an exception for my articles on this subject as the only practical way to track them from my user page (i.e. because that nonsensical design of not listing comments). So, again, much to my regret, this reputation figure grew a little bit further.

It comes to my mind a solution: I will receive happily all those down votes that concern so much to Cristopher2222. It would be very interesting to get a negative reputation figure, isn't it?

============================================================================

{first impressions}
Commented: April 02 2010 by  {jakubi} {793}
A few initial comments.
[...]
Also, I see a "reputation" figure linked to a graph. What is that?

{reputation}
Commented: April 02 2010 by  {jakubi} {793}
I have found the new page {MaplePrimes Users}. I do not see from where these
"reputation" figures arise, but in my opinion, the order shown among the users
that appear in this page is largely misleading. So, I find that this
reputation criteria makes no sense and I ask you to remove such number from my
posts.

{Icon and Reputation}
Commented: April 03 2010 by  {Will} {52}
[...]
Going forward Reputation will be calculated based on how other users rank your
posts and answers as seen in the {reputation help page}. To give past users a
meaningful reputation score, what we did is gave existing users reputation
points based on how many comments their blog posts and forum topics generated.
Based on your current reputation, we see that this algorithm doesn't work for
all users, and we will be playing with the calculation to improve how it
reflects users' past achievements.
[...]

{Re: Icon and Reputation}
Commented: April 03 2010 by  {jakubi} {793}
[...]
Before playing with the calculations of your reputation algorithms, I think
that you should check first whether everybody has his posts in primes 1
correctly transported to primes 2. As I am showing above, it seems that there
were problems here.

However, the basic issue is that any such calculation is based on an arbitrary
criteria. You may have good intentions, but whatever it is, it is your choice.
I believe that I have right not to share your choice and generically, this
issue of reputation, badges and so on is irrelevant for me. I am not
interested in voting for other posts and I do not want other people vote for
my posts. So, please let me remove this number from my posts.


{Resposes to comments}
Commented: April 05 2010 by  {bthur} {316}
[...]
  * Reputation is also something that we will not be altering, in terms of
display -- users will not have the choice to hide their reputation, nor will
they be able to determine whether their posts can be voted on.  Just like with
the MaplePrimes Points system, reputation is a valuable identifier on a social
web site such as Primes.  A reminder that {more information is available on
the reputation system here}.

  * Since we certainly don't want to start all the users out from 0, we have
been working on a formula to determine a legacy user's initial reputation
score based on their past contributions to MaplePrimes.  This formula is
currently being re-worked and we will post the details once that is completed.
Keep the comments coming!

{List of voters}
Commented: April 17 2010 by  {jakubi} {793}
{@bthur}
You say that I cannot avoid my posts being voted. And where is the list of
users voting a given post?

Also, where is the vote undo, if someone presses the voting button by mistake?

{Vote Undo}
Commented: April 19 2010 by  {Will} {52}

{@jakubi} Thanks for the suggestion, I have added the ability to undo a vote.
This works for any votes that have been published in the last two hours. Once
your vote has been around for more than 2 hours, it is locked in and you
cannot change the vote. This is to discourage people from going and changing
votes in the future and modifying people's reputation unexpectedly.

Undoing a vote just requires clicking the Up or Down vote link a 2nd time to
undo the action.

We don't plan to display a list of people who have up or down voted an item.
We think of voting as a quick, anonymous action so we don't want to display
the people who have voted.


{Votes Stored?}
Commented: April 26 2010 by  {jpmay} {116}

{@Will}

We don't plan to display a list of people who have up or down voted an item.
We think of voting as a quick, anonymous action so we don't want to display
the people who have voted.

Does this mean that the voting information is not permanently stored in the
database?

{Votes}
Commented: April 26 2010 by  {Will} {52}

{@jpmay} We are storing the full history of votes, including who placed the vote.

{anonymous action}
Commented: Yesterday at 3:41 AM by  {jakubi} {793}

The problem is that anonymous vote gives room for diverse manoeuvers. A direct
one to think of is a group set up to vote positive to each other and negative
to somebody else. Do you have a surveillance plan for such possible
manoeuvers?

{Nothing is anonymous}
Commented: 10 hours ago by  {Will} {52}

{@jakubi} We are actually storing the full history of votes, you must be
logged into vote. And you must have at least 50 reputation before you can even
down vote an item.

Since you need 50 reputation, it is difficult for someone to create an account
to use to down vote other people's content, since you would need to post valid
content that other users would up vote.

And we are storing the information on who votes on what content, so if we
notice unusual trends, it's easy for us to see who is causing it and to undo
the damage caused.

{notice unusual trends}
Commented: Moments ago by  {jakubi} {793}

It is good to know that you will keep an eye on that.

Actually, there is no contradiction between posting valid, even good, content
and voting down other people's content. Human mind is too complex and the most
diverse behaviors do occur. [...]

===============================================================================

@pagan Certainly, the first report on this issue that I know about is for Maple 13.

@pagan Certainly, the first report on this issue that I know about is for Maple 13.

Presumably you mean

interface(plotdevice=char);

I have read several reports, similar to Preben's experience, of Standard GUI switching to plotdevice=char mode spontaneously, in an apparently random way. Standard worksheets, with large plots/animations may be a factor.

Presumably you mean

interface(plotdevice=char);

I have read several reports, similar to Preben's experience, of Standard GUI switching to plotdevice=char mode spontaneously, in an apparently random way. Standard worksheets, with large plots/animations may be a factor.