New free mathematical software 2

[GregLocock]

http://www.sagemath.org

I haven't tried it yet as it is a 627M download, and I'm on dialup. It's a Python based toolkit, I think, with powerful interoperability, and the capability of writing nice looking equations.

Other open source options include the excellent Scilab, Octave and Maxima. Scilab's very similar to Matlab, but not identical in syntax. Grr





Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[drawoh]

GregLocock,

Python is a scripting language that is distributed with Linux. It is available for everything else, but probably, you will have to install that too.

I will look into it.

Octave is also a mathematical language that is often distributed with Linux. There are Windows binaries for it.

JHG

 

[MikeHalloran]

Now I gotta buy a bigger hard drive...



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[leakyseal]

Having given up trying to get my employer to pay for Mathcad (and to be fair, I only need about 1% of its functionality, i.e. the "scratchpad" equation handling and unit conversion functions) I've started noodling with Maxima. I looked over a lot of the others (Octave, Scilab, Sage) but Maxima seemed to be the only one with any support for handling engineering units and conversion on the fly. I'd love to hear about anyone else's experiences with these "fringeware" products as they relate to general engineering calcs.

 

[drawoh]

GregLocock,

I just remembered something interesting. I read somewhere that Python was created as a math language. It is used extensively for all sorts of stuff now, but I think the original purpose was math.

http://www.python.org

The original author is a Monty Python fan.

JHG

 

[mizzjoey]

There is an extension of Python called Numerical Python or NumPy. Good for building your own numerical solutions. There is also Scientific Python (SciPy) but I think SciPy is geared more towards autoprocessing results from your simulations/experiments/observactions.

Jo

 

[SomptingGuy]

Scilab is the onlt Matlab clone I've seen that also has an associted block diagram model simulator (scicos). Recent versions of scicos have growing support for Modelica too, which is interesting.

 

[GregLocock]

I'm tempted to say the windows version is a bust, but I am trying to install it on my serious machine, which is on NT4, so it may work on a more modern OS. The problem is vmware, which is a Linux virtual machine.

The easy solution is to just install it on my Linux messabout machine. I don't know if I can face another gargantuan download!



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[Gymmeh]

I have been looking for something like this for awhile.

Those, worried about linux, have you tried "dual boot" for linux? Give it a google, it might be what your looking for.

 

[GregLocock]

If you are on broadband then there is a 2Gb bootable DVD Linux iso, which will run from the DVD, and store data files on your HD.





Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[Xtal2012]

The free GNU Octave is mostly syntax-compatible with MATLAB. Version 3.0 which is many years in the making was just released in December. There are binaries available for Windows, OS X and Linux among others.