[Maxima] list functions

[Barton Willis]

-----maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu wrote: -----

>nest(f%,x,n) := if n=0 then x
>    	         else if n=1 then apply(f%,[x])
>                  else apply(f%,[nest(f%,x,n-1)]);
>

Testing with Maxima + GCL (2.6.8), we soon get an error:

  (%i2) nest(f,0,150)$
        Maxima encountered a Lisp error:),

Maxima + SBCL (1.0.19) does better: nest(f,0,1000) is OK, but
nest(f,0,10000) --> error. Workarounds: either write a non-recursive
nest function or compile nest (and take your chances with the Maxima
translator).

Barton