[Tutor] Python vs. MATLAB

[Chris Fuller]

1) Python is free!
2) Python indices start at 0!
3) Python has way better GUIs
4) Python can emulate a lot of Matlab functionality with matplotlib and numpy
5) Matlab has a rather limited number of data structures
6) Matlab doesn't have anything like the third party support for almost 
anything
7) Almost everything in Matlab is pass-by-value. This can get to be a bit of a
   pain at times.
8) Python is a general-purpose programming language, and as such, has a much
   wider set of features
9) There are a lot more Python developers to share code with and learn from

It's free! Install it on all your computers. Take it home to use for work or 
play. Show it to your friends. Keep using it after you leave your place of 
work/study!

The "interpreted" bit refers to the fact that the source code is not compiled 
before it is run. This is also true of Matlab.


Cheers


On Monday 06 December 2010, Jaidev Deshpande wrote:
> Dear all
> 
> What advantages does Python have over MATLAB as a programming language,
> (not the computing environment of MATLAB)?
> 
> Also, wikipedia says Python is an interpreted language, what does that
> mean?