Re: Linux: how compatible with add-ons ?
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg22314] Re: Linux: how compatible with add-ons ?
- From: Philip C Mendelsohn <mend0070 at tc.umn.edu> (Philip C Mendelsohn)
- Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2000 03:01:27 -0500 (EST)
- Organization: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus
- References: <88vtk5$mbv@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
baltazarius (a at a.com) wrote: : Sorry I don't quote your answer mister Hinton, but the news feeder I use : here doesn't keep posts for a very long time. : I did ask info at wolfram.com about the compatibility of Calculus WIZ. I was : categorically told that it wasn't compatible with Linux. Now, I know this is : the companies position on that. I suspect it's working : (http://x30.deja.com/[ST_rn=ps]/getdoc.xp?AN=559917761&CONTEXT=951239121.159 : 0886440&hitnum=3) (that is what fuels my suspicions. ;-) The company is categorically misinforming the world on this issue. I have informed them of this, but somewhere along the line, someone (probably in marketing, if my guess is accurate) forgot that one of the great things about Mathematica in the first place was platform independence of notebooks. I have installed CalcWIZ on Linux here myself, and can tell you that it works just as well as it ever did in Mathematica under Windows. The only thing you have to do is copy a few directories manually, and rebuild a help browser index. Not only do they do this with CalcWIZ, but all the MEI course ware (xxx&Mathematica). To me, this is the real danger of the whole Microsoft monopoly issue -- an entire group of people at one of the most technically savvy companies is reduced to thinking of computers as Mac/Win/Other, rather than knowing their own product. Conditioning is a powerful thing, eh? : To conclude, I would be curious to know : : 1- Do you have an estimate date of when Calculus WIZ will be ported to : Mathematica 4 ? : 2- What is Wolfram Inc. position on Linux support ? It releases it's : flagship products for it but doesn't seem to want to wet it's feet with the : add-on packages. Again, Calculus WIZ should works fine currently (23-Feb-2000) at this site under Mathematica 4.0.1, Linux (Mandrake 7.0, kernel 2.2.14). Up until recently it also worked under an older version of Mandrake. Add On packages, unless they use some machine specific external code, MUST Inherently be supported *ON ALL PLATFORMS*. Please correct me if I'm wront. I'm not a Linux fanatic, just a user and a stickler for accuracy! Cheers, Phil Mendelsohn -- Life is complex: It has real and imaginary components. --Unknown