MATLAB:matplotlib::Mathematica::???

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

In message <i9v3oh$51s$1 at reader1.panix.com>, kj wrote:

> matplotlib, even in its underlying so-called "OO mode", follows
> MATLAB's graphics model, which, in my very subjective opinion, is
> vastly inferior to Mathematica's.

Speaking as someone who once had to do GUI programming in MATLAB, I think 
it’s really only good for one thing: matrix manipulation. Everything else is 
a tacked-on crock.

> The latter allows for a clean separation between the textual
> specification of a graphic object (which can be very complex), and
> its graphic representation.  Furthermore, it is general enough to
> allow for the composition of graphic objects within other graphic
> objects, to arbitrary depth levels.  This readily allows for the
> representation of complex composite figures ...

I thought every graphics representation worth its salt allowed that. SVG, 
for example. Why not have a look at that? It’s cross-platform, and easy to 
generate and parse using XML libraries.

> More generally, despite its usefulness, I find MATLAB in the end
> to be one big ugly hack, so, as a developer, I would prefer to stay
> clear of anything that is modeled after MATLAB, however loosely.

Amen.