" PARI/GP is a package for efficient computations in number theory, but also contains a large number of mathematical functions unrelated to number theory. It resembles a Computer Algebra System, but is not really one since it treats symbolic expressions as mathematical entities such as polynomials, series, matrices, etc..., not as pure expressions. However it is often faster than other CAS, and contains a huge number of specific functions not found elsewhere, essentially for use in number theory. This new release has many new functions for working in general algebraic number fields.
The macintosh release is a pure port from the Unix versions and contains no specific macintosh interface. The result is less than satisfactory, but is better than preceeding releases, thanks to the new SIOUX interface provided by the Metrowerks CodeWarrior programming system."
Well, this is a bad case of choosing a name without thinking first....
In fact, the original (Cohen, Batut, Olivier) designers thought it would be written in the Pascal language, and they exchanged jokes about Blaise Pascal's bet. Now 'bet' in french is 'pari'...
Dominique Bernardi, Theorie des Nombres
Universite Pierre et Marie Curie
4 place Jussieu - F75005 Paris Tel (33-1) 44275441