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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)


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