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Re: Workbench - Recommendation?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg119431] Re: Workbench - Recommendation?
• From: Murray Eisenberg <murray at math.umass.edu>
• Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2011 19:12:53 -0400 (EDT)

As a broad rule, I'd say that there's little need to use Workbench 
unless you're developing Mathematica applications to distribute to 
others to use -- especially if you're developing packages along with the 
same kind of documentation as Wolfram provides with Mathematica itself 
(with separate function ref pages, tutorials, etc.)

Otherwise, just use Mathematica itself, including available debugging 
methodology and tools and in-notebook text cells and notebook 
organization (sections, subsections, etc.) for structuring and documenting.

If you are doing development for applications to distribute to others, 
then you have to decide whether you want the additional task of learning 
Workbench. If you are already quite familiar with Eclipse, upon which 
Workbench is built, that makes the learning curve more gentle.

Otherwise, spend your time learning Mathematica itself.

Just my 2 cents!

On 6/2/2011 7:15 AM, yitzhakbg wrote:
> I've begun using Mathematica and have invested quite a few hours learning to program and getting into the mindset. I'm wondering whether Workbench is worth the investment. I do plan on using Mathematica during the course of my studies in Communications Engineering over the next two year.
> I would appreciate hearing feedback, recommendations and/or criticism and in getting a feeling for how widely used workbench actually is amongst Mathematica users.
> Thanks,
> Yitzhak
>

-- 
Murray Eisenberg                     murray at math.umass.edu
Mathematics & Statistics Dept.
Lederle Graduate Research Tower      phone 413 549-1020 (H)
University of Massachusetts                413 545-2859 (W)
710 North Pleasant Street            fax   413 545-1801
Amherst, MA 01003-9305