Improving the usability of Kenzo, a Common Lisp system for Algebraic Topology.
Jónathan Heras, Vico Pascual, Julio Rubio, Francis Sergeraert · 2008
Kenzo is a symbolic computation system devoted to Algebraic Topol-ogy. Written in Common Lisp, this program succeeded in computing homology and homotopy groups so far unreachable. The challenge is now to increase the number of users and to improve its usability. Instead of designing simply a friendly front-end, we have undertaken the task of de-vising a mediated access to the system, constraining its functionality, but providing guidance to the user in his navigation on the system. This ob-jective is reached by constructing in Common Lisp an intermediary layer, allowing us an intelligent access to some features of the system. This in-termediary layer is supported by XML technology and interplays between a graphical user interface and the pure Kenzo system. 1