Re: Performance of student version of Mathematica?
- To: mathgroup at christensen.cybernetics.net
- Subject: [mg685] Re: Performance of student version of Mathematica?
- From: jburne at connix.com (John Burnette)
- Date: 9 Apr 1995 22:51:06 -0400
In article <3m9jek$fmt at news0.cybernetics.net>,
Roger Frederi Clark <helios at strauss.udel.edu> wrote:
>I was curious about this possibility also, so I contacted the
>info at wri.com and here's what they said. The student version will not use
>a math coprocessor, even if present. THe rep said that this makes
>little difference for normal calculations, but for large data
>sets, numerical calculations, or intensive graphics work, it translates into
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>about 4 times slower. Unfortunately, this is what I use Mathematica for,
etc etc...
Hello? Gee, unless you want to do something UNUSUAL like NUMERICAL
CALCULATIONS...(And what kind of mathematica user would have that in
mind....) And compare the native code version of mathematica running on a
powerpc macintosh to a student version running under 68040 emulation on
the same computer. That is NOT a 4 times slower. Wolfram's OWN
ADVERTISING gives numbers like 17 seconds versus 109 seconds (on a Quadra
700, presumably running an enhanced version...) For those with a new
PowerMac check out the sample software from Wolfram on the CD sampler.
Questions for WOLFRAM rep...(surly mode on...)
1) Will there ever be a native (student) version of Mathematica for the
powerpc. Hypothetically, if there was no MacIntosh for sale powered
by something other than a power-pc would this be a factor in your
policy, or should we just be thankful that Mathematica wasn't first
created in the 8088 era?
2) What will happen to the current user base when OS for Mac and INTEL
computers become multi-tasking? (Both mac and windows claim that is
coming within the next year.) Will you slip code into student version
which checks to see if there is a session already running? Is that code
already there?
As an aside, I have been using Mathematica while teaching my high school
math (and computing) courses since 1988-89. I am the leading proponent of
increasing computer use, specifically Mathematica, at my current school -
Choate Rosemary Hall. While visiting Middlesex academy for a school
recertification visit last week, I noticed that Mathematica was installed
but virtually unused on their computers. (Note of interest, Middlesex and
Choate have both been listed in ads from Wolfram..)
I am becoming the math department chair at a third school, Kinkaid in
Houston Texas. I would very much like to continue working with
Mathematica there, but there is no way I will pay more than $200 per
license and, on principle, no way I would purchase any mathematics
software which has intentionally been crippled so as not to make use of
either an advanced processor or an FPU. Honestly, the only way I would
recommend purchasing Mathematica would be to purchase used NeXT
workstations which include an academic license.
Wolfram must realize that they have almost ZERO penetration of the
(fairly) large high school market. I firmly believe that their bottom
line would be increased significantly if they came out with a
"Mathematica lite" version which used a kernal which actually fits onto a
8 meg computer. Provide the full processing speed and let the schools
purchase more libraries as they decide they need them.
As for me, MathCad is offered for $49 with the Maple libraries. I don't
want to learn a new environment, but I suppose it isn't out of the
question either. It's too bad. I've carried a torch for Mathematica for a
very long time.