The version of maxima in the debian repos is the same as in the sourceforge archives. There's only one good reason to compile your own version from what I can see -- to get around the dependency of maxima on gnuplot.
Let me explain: the gnuplot version in the debian repos has problems handling small numbers (<10**(-9)). Uninstalling gnuplot and replacing it with your a version you've compiled yourself removes maxima.
Luckily it's easy to build:
wget http://sourceforge.net/projects/maxima/files/latest/download?source=files
mv download\?source\=files maxima-5.26.0.tar.gz
./configure
make -j5
where 5 is the number of cores +1 (I have four cores). Change as needed.
sudo checkinstall
Checkinstall may or may not exit successfully if you have compiled your own version of gnuplot -- see below. Chances are that it built the package correctly.
or
sudo make install
Error:
If you get
dpkg: error processing maxima_5.26.0-1_amd64.deb (--install):
trying to overwrite '/usr/local/share/info/dir', which is also in package gnuplot 4.4.4-1
dpkg-deb: error: subprocess paste was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Solution:
sudo dpkg --force-overwrite -i maxima_5.26.0-1_amd64.deb
You can see that the dir file is ok (GNUPlot is still referred to):
This is the file .../info/dir, which contains the
topmost node of the Info hierarchy, called (dir)Top.
The first time you invoke Info you start off looking at this node.
File: dir, Node: Top This is the top of the INFO tree
This (the Directory node) gives a menu of major topics.
Typing "q" exits, "?" lists all Info commands, "d" returns here,
"h" gives a primer for first-timers,
"mEmacs<Return>" visits the Emacs manual, etc.
In Emacs, you can click mouse button 2 on a menu item or cross reference
to select it.
* Menu:
Emacs
* Imaxima: (imaxima). Image support for the computer algebra system
Maxima. Interactive math minor mode.
Math
* GNUPLOT: (gnuplot). An Interactive Plotting Program
* Maxima: (maxima). A computer algebra system.
* Xmaxima: (xmaxima). Graphical interface for Maxima.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
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