In Mathematica, why is the program only making new lines when I press Return?

Mathematica, like many programs, has a different appearance when you access it from different kinds of terminals. If you connect to a central server such as Quarry, you are using a character-based terminal. If you use the command math to start Mathematica, you will see the message "Terminal graphics initialized". In the text-based interface, pressing Return will work.

If you are running Mathematica on a workstation with a graphical user interface, to start the program, either use the command mathematica & or click the Mathematica icon. A window running Mathematica's Notebook FrontEnd will appear. The Notebook FrontEnd to Mathematica is recognizable by small brackets on the right side, and menu choices at the top. In the Notebook FrontEnd, pressing Enter will add new lines. To start processing your commands, press Shift-Enter.

For more about statistical and mathematical software, email the UITS Stat/Math Center, visit the center's web page, or phone 812-855-4724 (IUB) or 317-278-4740 (IUPUI). The center is located in Bloomington at 410 N. Park Avenue, and is open for consultation by appointment Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.

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