41–50 of 136 posts
If it's not OSS it is unlikely to succeed.
Outside of software and data science, is there any industry where the software landscape is dominated by the OSS players?
> Write equations; not code This is a little odd to me - I generally prefer to write my math in code if its going to be executed. I find my preferences to be pen and paper (or whiteboard)> latex, so perhaps I am not the target demographic here.
We must be evil twins in opposite universes. I've always wanted to be able to code the equations the way they look on paper. I actually am quite annoyed that most languages won't let you use Greek characters as variables. To me, it just makes it easier to spot errors.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's not true, in my experience. This tool reminds me of MathCAD, which is both moderately popular and proprietary. The most popular numerical computing environment for engineering is MATLAB, which is proprietary.
The state of the art is done in other languages now, specifically Python with numpy and extensions, R, or Julia. There was a time for proprietary systems like this but I think it has passed.
MATLAB has some significant benefits over the FOSS alternatives, such as its first-party commercially-supported extensions/libraries (known as "Toolboxes"), and commercial support for the core product itself.
> Write equations; not code This is a little odd to me - I generally prefer to write my math in code if its going to be executed. I find my preferences to be pen and paper (or whiteboard)> latex, so perhaps I am not the target demographic here.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's not true, in my experience. This tool reminds me of MathCAD, which is both moderately popular and proprietary. The most popular numerical computing environment for engineering is MATLAB, which is proprietary.
The state of the art is done in other languages now, specifically Python with numpy and extensions, R, or Julia. There was a time for proprietary systems like this but I think it has passed.
spoken, truly, like someone that has never worked in a [^software] engineering firm. civil/electrical/chemical engineering firms all uniformly rely on matlab, comsol, solidworks, autocad, etc.
If it's not OSS it is unlikely to succeed.
Why would you say that? OSS dominating seems to me to be a phenomenon largely restricted to the software industry, probably because we like to have a hand in our own tools and can contribute . Outside of software and data science, is there any industry where the software landscape is dominated by the OSS players?
Academic publishing, maybe. Many of them rely on LaTeX, especially the mathematics journals, but even this is changing if I understand correctly—more journals are accepting submissions in Microsoft Word format.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The state of the art is done in other languages now, specifically Python with numpy and extensions, R, or Julia. There was a time for proprietary systems like this but I think it has passed.
Sure, in the fields of computer science, data science, etc. However, this is not the case in more traditional engineering fields (electrical, mechanical, etc.) which tend to teach MATLAB throughout undergraduate education and subsequently rely on it throughout graduate education, research, and industry. MATLAB has some significant benefits over the FOSS alternatives, such as its first-party commercially-supported ext…
I'm aware there are existing tools that see heavy use but that does not make them state of the art or cutting edge, merely sufficient. And yes, that can be enough. But for new work? Why throw in behind these guys?