I just gotta tell you about this! I've started tracking down all the
symbolic math packages that would make sense on my system. Yes, I
know Mathematica and Maple are the standards, but they were too
expensive.
So I find a nifty discussion
http://macslash.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/08/1717200&mode=threadon Maple vs Mathematica licenses, expanding into a general computer
algebra discussion.
Well, one comment was:
LiveMath Maker. This oddly-named program used to be Theorist. A
one-of-a-kind approach to symbolics and graphing--no code! I used
this extensively 10-12 years ago and still do from time to time. You
enter equations and click-and-drag things around, as well as apply
menu commands, to parts or all of your equations. At all times,
everything on the screen is mathematically true, i.e., a theorem. I
think they were owned by Maple people for a while but got free again.
It's marketed as a tool for high school kids but don't be fooled.
I've done radar work and published papers in signal processing using
this program.
So I look at the prices, and they have the typical Student, Academic,
and Commercial pricing (all reasonable too). Well, I'm none of the
above and send them an email explaining:
I'm a recently retired computer scientist getting back into
mathematics.
I don't quite fit your pricing models:
Student Although studying, I'm not at a university
and don't need the degree.
Academic I'm not a prof, although I teach
(Ex: Santa Fe Institute's summer school)
Commercial I'd not do commercial work with your product.
Can you imagine my surprise when they write back saying .. just put
your alma matter in as the school and use the student pricing!
These folks are OK by me! Can you imagine Wolfram doing that?
Hmm..maybe I'll do the same for all the math systems .. I'll get back
to you with what I find.
Anyone else with similar experiences?
-- Owen
Owen Densmore
http://backspaces.net -
http://redfish.com -
http://friam.org
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