Re: classsical Programing vs a math package
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg16703] Re: classsical Programing vs a math package
- From: gaylord at ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (richard j. gaylord)
- Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 22:33:34 -0500
- Organization: university of illinois
- References: <7bg334$5p3@smc.vnet.net> <7ct6lu$89q@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
> In article <7bg334$5p3 at smc.vnet.net>, bernard keenan > <kaylob at worldnet.att.net> wrote: > > > Hi all I am compiling an article for my engineering newspaper on the > > advantages of a package like mathematica vs clasical programing like C. > > Currently my school teaches C and I am trying to do a balanced unbiased > > article. > > Any help greatly appreciated > > > > Any help is greatly appreciated. > > > > Bernard Keenan you must be much younger than me becuase C is not a classical programming language. i think you mean to say that it is a procedural language. moreover, mathemtica should not be considered a package, though it is that in one sense. it is also a fully developed programming language and can validly be compared to other languages as such. note: i have been using mathematica since day -1 [1987] and i have never used it to do any mathematics at all. i only use it for programming in the same way that any other language would be used. the comparision which i think would be more useful would be one of functional programming and rule-based programming vs. procedural programming for engineers. other functional programming languages you might then consider are LISP and Scheme and Standard ML [also J the functional version of APL]. i think that for programming mathematica offers many advantages over these other two languages including the best set of built-in functions for performing functional operations. as for rule-based programming, mathematica the absolutlely best rule-based language there is. i would make the argument that rule-based programming combined with functional programming constructs are the best way for engineers [and sicentists] to program becuase it is most like the way they think [that's based on my experience over 25 years of teaching including 8 yr.s of teaching mathemtica as a programming language. there is also the issue of conciseness and elegance of expression and debug-ability to be considered and i think mathematica wins on all of these matters. and of course the integration of the language into a system that does graphics and math is a plus. the only drawback i find in mathematica is one of speed but that is improving all of the time. btw - i do not work for wolfram research. i am an unofficial [ie., unpaid :) ] evangelist for mathematica because it is the best language i have ever seen [APL was pretty cool [and J is better than APL] and ML is good but mathematica blows even these good functional languages away with its unique rule-based style. -richard- -- "I would say life is pretty pointless, wouldn't you, without the movies?" Vincent Gallo as Johnny Tempi in The Funeral (1996)