Matlab vs Python (was RE: Discussion: Introducing new operators f

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On Mon, 17 Jul 2000 13:33:55 -0500, Paul Prescod <paul at prescod.net> wrote:
>
>Let me repeat a challenge I made to Huaiyu Zhu. If the only difference
>between Matlab and Python is the syntax, then let's you and I make a
>Matlab syntax for Python and sell it at half of Matlab's price. We could
>make millions on a month's work!

I thought I replied your email through email ... Ah, here it is:

> > Now look at the total number of users of matlab/octave, and ask: Is python
> > really so inferior that most of them wouldn't switch to python?
>
> I have no idea. If the primary difference between expensive matrix
> packages and Python is syntax, perhaps you and I should incorporate and
> exploit that market inefficiency. :)

The market is efficient.  Matlab does worth that much (or even more).  It
does take that much human labor to get to that stage, so sadly we can't get
rich by following them.  On the other hand, open source may beat them
easily, as long as

1. we are using a better language which has more potential
2. users have incentive to contribute because it's already useful
3. there's no big hurdle beyond what's already in Numerical Recipe

>My strong feeling is that people don't just use Matlab for the syntax.
>And the popularity of Matlab books is probably not proportional to the
>popularity of Matlab. University students are forced to buy those books.

You feeling may be wrong, even if it is strong.  Many students use Matlab
despite their adviser's urge to use other more "conventional" software - at
least in the earlier years.  For all I know, the disproportionality is the
other way round - most matlab users never own a matlab book.  (A personal
note which may not worth much: I've used matlab for ten years and don't own
a matlab book.  I've used python for half a year and proudly own three
python books.)

Huaiyu