GPT et le travail mathématique

Terrence Tao a publié un essai bluffant (et un peu troublant) sur les utilisations des Generative Pretrained Transformers dans leur version actuelle (GPT-4) peut-être complétée d’outils non encore publiquement disponible (comme l’accès aux documents sur le web). Je vous invite à lire son essai sur les capacités de cette technologie, son utilité et la complémentarité éventuelle des logiciels d’aide à la preuve.

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Serveurs SVN

Subversion (SVN) est un outil informatique qui permet de gérer la collaboration sur des documents et en particulier des textes. Il automatise (jusqu’à un certain point!) la mise en commun des modifications et systématise l’archivage. Son utilisation nécessite un logiciel sur la machine de chaque collègue (“client svn”) mais aussi un logiciel (“serveur svn”) tournant sur une machine constamment connectée à internet.

Quelques serveurs publics que je connais:

1. Les services numériques de la PLM (plateforme mathématique en ligne de mathrice, accessible avec les identifiants PLM ou par invitation) – j’y ai rencontré des problèmes d’ouverture de mes projets mais les informaticiens de mathrice ont été très réactifs;
2. Au département de mathématiques d’Orsay, le serveur FOSA (accessible sur demande auprès du service informatique) –  j’ai arrêté de m’en servir après son arrêt de durée indéterminée.
3. La forge Enseignement supérieur et Recherche.

Any additional information, link, corrections are welcome.

Some information on using SVN with the PLM:

A. Using an existing repository

1. You should make sure that you have a svn (subversion) client installed on your computer. (I have svntortoise which does this through clicks but works only on windows; line command svn is usually already installed on Linux-based systems). For basic concepts and terminology see this glossary.

2. Then create on your computer an EMPTY folder (let us call it your local folder) where you want to work (don’t put your work there yet). Make this your current folder.

3. If your svn client accepts line commands, you should execute (usually in a linux terminal/window):

svn checkout https://svn.math.cnrs.fr/YOUR-REPOSITORY-NAME

When you do so, you will be prompted for identification – these are your PLM’s identifiers. Hopefully, your svn client will connect to the svn server on the PLM and copy everything in the repository (“depot”) into the current (empty) folder.

4. You can then work on files in your local folder. When you are done (or more frequently if not inconvenient), you should upload your work. The procedure is as follows:

a) *first*  integrate any new stuff from the depository into your local copy by executing inside your folder the line command (or the corresponding clicks):

svn update

This reconciliates all the changes provided that they are on different lines. If some lines have been updated both in your folder and in the global depository, svn declares a “conflict” and download the two versions and defer to you to decide what to keep. Some tools can be found to visualize the problematic lines and decide for each which to keep (svntortoise includes such a helper).

b) *second* upload the result by executing, in your local folder:

      svn commit -m “brief description of the changes” .

(the final dot means that all modified files selected for versioning by svn are transfered).

the text after -m will be recorded for documentation.

5. When you create a new file (say newone.tex) in your local folder and you want it to be uploaded to the repository at the next commit you have to tell svn by executing (in your local folder):

      svn add newone.tex

In principle, only source files should be managed by svn (mainly textfiles but also figures).

6. To see the last changes you should execute the line command:

svn log

It will display each version together with the username responsible for its uploading and the comment given in the “svn commit” command described above.

B. Managing repositories through the web interface

1. Logging on the web interface

– You should go to the page: https://portail.math.cnrs.fr/
– Click on the button (top right): connexion
– On the new page, click on the button “mon compte PLM”
– Then you enter your login and password and push the button
– This brings you back to https://portail.math.cnrs.fr/

2. Managing your repositories

– Click the button “Services numériques”
– On the new page, click on “Système de gestion de version”
– The svn manager web page should appear with a list of the project on which you have some rights. If you click on one some information should appear on the right column (I don’t know what information exactly for you).

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