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Welcome to the new symbolic algebra newsgroup.  This group will
deal with all aspects of symbolic algebra: algorithms, applications
and the various systems and languages available.

This group will be useful to those:
  a) doing research in the area of symbolic algebra
  b) those who may need to apply symbolic algebra systems to some
     area
  c) systems personnel who must support symbolic algebra systems for
     their users.

Prior to the formation of this group, this material was scattered over
many news groups including net.unix, net.math, and net.ai.  This news group
will insure that those persons who are interested in symbolic algebra
have to look in only one place for relevant articles.  Also those
persons requesting assistance from the net with symbolic algebra
related issues can insure they reach those people who can help them with only
one news group posting.  Hopefully, the discussions of the group will
help insure the successful application of symbolic algebra to applications
areas.

This article contains the following sections:

   a) a very short intro to symbolic algebra for those not aware of its
      purpose and capabilities
   b) a list of sources for more information (books, conferences and
      magazines.
   c) a list of symbolic algebra software 

Section a: Intro

A conventional programming language offers the capability to manipulate
numbers.  For example, variables contain numbers which may multiplied,
added, raised to power, etc.  In a symbolic algebra system, variables
contain formulas.  For example, the variable A may contain the formula:
B+C*X*Y and variable G may contain the formula X*Z.  If one were to
multiply A*G, one would get B*X*Z+C*X**2*Y*Z.  The contents of a variable
can be factored, differentiated, integrated or be subjected to a variety
of such manipulations.  Of course, not all features are available in all
languages.

Take integration for example.  Using an appropriate numerical integration
technique, one can set up the integral of sin(x) from 0 to pi and get
a numerical result of 1.999 or something similar.  A symbolic algebra
system can be used to compute the antiderivative, e. g.  -cos(x) for sin(x)
or to compute the exact result: 2.

In many cases, I have seen people perform very tedious algebra and calculus
by hand who could have done the same work in a few minutes getting a 
correct answer via a symbolic algebra system.  Most importantly, they would
be insured that the answer they got was the correct one, free of any 
"stupid error."  One of my hopes is that this group will insure that such
people are alerted to the presence of this capability and use it!

Section b: Information Sources

The aim of this section is to give sources for more information such that
this list plus the references cited therein will cover the area.

B. Buchberger et. al editors
Computer Algebra, Symbolic and Algebraic Computation
Springer Verlag, Computing Supplementum 4

R. H. Rand
Computer Algebra in Applied Mathematics: An Introduction to Macsyma
Pitman Advanced Publishing Program

Lecture Notes in Computer Science 144
Springer Verlag
Proceedings of EUROCAM 82 European Computer Algebra Conference
Marseille, France April 1982
Edited by Jacques Calmet

Lecture Notes in Computer Science 162
Springer Verlag
Procedings of EUROCAL 83 European Computer Algebra Conference
London, England, March 1983

Lecture Notes in Computer Science 72
Springer Verlag
Symbolic and Algebraic Computation
Proceedings of EUROSAM 79 
Marseille, France June 1979
Edited by Edward W. Ng

SYMSAC 81
Proceedings of the 1981 ACM Symposium on Symbolic and Algebraic Computation
Paul S. Wang, Editor 
ACM Order No. 505810

Proceedings of EUROSAM 74
SIGSAM Bulletin Volume 8 Number 3, August 1974 Issue Number 31
Royal Institute of Technology
Stockholm, Sweden 
August 1-2 1974

SYMSAM 1966
ACM Symposium on Symbolic and Algebraic Manipulation, Washington D. C. March 29-31 Proceedings (Floyd, R. W., ed.) Commun. ACM 9, 547-643 (1966)

SYMSAM 1971
ACM Symposium on Symbolic and Algebraic Manipulation, Los Angles March 23-25, 1971 Proceedings (Petrick, S. R. ED): published by ACM
also in Commun. ACM 14, 509-560 and J. ACM 18, 477-565 (1971)

MACSYMA 1977
MACSYMA User's Conference, bErkely, July 27-29, 1977. Proceedings (Fateman, R. J. Ed., ed) published by MIT

MACSYMA 1979
MACSYMA Users' conference, Washington, D. C. June 20-22, 1979.  Proceedings
(Lewis, V. E. ed) published by MIT

Yun, D. Y. Y., Stoutemeyer, D. R.: Symbolic Mathematical Computation. In:
Encyclopedia of Computer Science and tEchnology
Vol 15, 235-310 (1980)

D. Knuth, The Art of Computer Progrramming, Volume 2 (Chapter 4) 

Section c: Partial List of Computer Algebra Software

Formac Share Program Library 360D-03.3.013 Formac 73
This system runs under the IBM 360 series systems and is written in
PL/1 and Assembler.
Cost: $35.00 (as of November 1980).

REDUCE
Version 3 is available for DECSYSTEMs 10 and 20, IBM (but not under DOS),
VAX.
Requires $200.00 check
Contact
The Rand Corporation
Attn: Dr. Anthony C. Hearn
1700 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90406
(213)-393-0411

For UNIX you also need to order PSL from Utah Symbolic Computation Group
Secretary
Computer Science Department
3160 MEB
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 
for $200 (requires copy of UNIX license).

MACSYMA is available for VMS systems from

National Energy Software Center
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 South Cass Avenue
Argonne, Illinois 60439
Attention: Jan Mockler

(According to GSB@MIT-MC, one needs to join the NESC and inquire about
accession number 9847.)

It is available for UNIX from:

MACSYMA Group
Symbolics, Inc.
257 Vassar Street
Cambridge, MA  02139

There are a range of fees depending upon whether you have educational
status or not and whether or not you want source.

muMath (for Intel 8080, Z-80 and IBM-PC type machines)
The Soft Warehouse, P. O. Box 11174, Honolulu, HI 96828 U. S. A.
distributed by Microsoft as well.

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Announcement for net.announce or whereever

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A new newsgroup, net.math.symbolic has just been created.  This group will
deal with all aspects of symbolic algebra: algorithms, applications and the
various systems and languages available.

The group is for those:
  a) doing research in the area of symbolic algebra
  b) those who may need to apply symbolic algebra systems to an application area
  c) systems personnel who must support symbolic algebra systems for their
users

For those who are not familiar with the term, symbolic algebra, these systems
allow a user to perform analytical differentiation, integration, factoring,
simplification, etc. automatically with the computer.  For example such a system
would be able to integrate x**2+x**3 and give the result x**3/3+x**4/4.
It will do automatically most if not all integrations that are done by hand
in a calculus course.

For more information see the welcome message which has more explanations
as well as a bibliography and a list of available systems.