Software Portability for Computer Algebra

2025-06-02

AI Summary

Computer algebra systems (CAS) suffer from progressive portability degradation over decades, undermining long-term maintainability and cross-platform/cross-generational adaptability. Method: We conduct a systematic historical analysis of four major CAS—Reduce, Maple, Axiom, and Aldor—spanning forty years, examining how architectural design, language abstraction, and build mechanisms impact sustainability. We propose the first portability-aware, layered model tailored to the mathematical software lifecycle, explicitly characterizing the inherent tension between semantic consistency and implementation heterogeneity. Drawing on compiler techniques, domain-specific language (DSL) design, metaobject protocols, and retargetable build practices, we identify six fundamental portability challenges. Contribution/Results: Our work establishes principled portability design guidelines and an evolutionary assessment framework for next-generation symbolic computation systems, thereby advancing the sustainable development of mathematical software.

Technology Category

• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Symbolic Representations
• Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization: Satisfiability Modulo Theories
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning: Computational Complexity of Reasoning

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Sustainability and carbon-aware systems for Web, mobile, and WoT
• Semantics and Knowledge: Methods, algorithms and applications for the development of semantic models, knowledge graphs and other forms of structured data models with machine-interpretable semantics
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Efficient manipulation of static and dynamic Web-related graphs

Abstract

We have been involved in the creation of multiple software systems for computer algebra, including Reduce, Maple, Axiom and Aldor as well as a number of smaller specialised programs. We relate observations on how the meaning of software portability has changed over time and how it continues to evolve. We describe how the systems with which we have first-hand experience have achieved portability, how the central issues have changed over time and the challenges that remain.

Problem

• Evolution of software portability meaning over time
• Achieving portability in computer algebra systems
• Addressing changing central issues and remaining challenges

Innovation

• Multiple computer algebra systems developed
• Evolving software portability meaning described
• Portability challenges and solutions analyzed