Re: WG: Tools for mathematical calculations and graphical output

[Hamish Allan]

Steve,

> Please educate me: what is a F(L)OSS for proprietary platforms?
> Examples?

http://www.feedreader.com/
http://www.sshkeychain.org/

>   What is F(L)OSS?  A joke on FOSS (free/open-source software)
> or something more meaningful?

FLOSS is a term similar to FOSS, but emphasises libre rather than 
gratis freedom. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FOSS, which also 
points out that "legally speaking, only public domain software is 
non-proprietary."

> I'm running a FOSS system (Debian GNU/Linux) on a Dell computer.  In
> your mind is this FOSS for proprietary platforms?  The Dell certainly
> has proprietary components on it.  (Though I'm not exactly sure.  I 
> know
> that the openness of BIOS is an issue these days.)

The platform is not just the hardware, but the software as well. One 
platform is Debian GNU/Linux running on x86 hardware; a different 
platform is Debian on PowerPC. You might have a piece of FOSS that 
compiles and runs on one but not the other. Other platforms include 
Windows on x86, Mac OS X on PowerPC, etc. Plenty of FOSS works fine on 
my Mac, but plenty doesn't.

> I don't understand what you are talking about.  Assuming I'm running a
> system with the tools that make GNU Octave possible, I'm just curious 
> if
> there is a FOSS Mathcad/Mathematica replacement; as Octave can be
> considered a replacement to MATLAB.  So, I don't know what you are
> talking about with this ``F(L)OSS proprietary platform
> Mathcad/Mathematica replacement.''

GNU Octave is possible on various platforms; certain FOSS is not (see 
examples above). Is this any clearer now?

> OK, maybe I'm making poor assumptions; any ideas what they could be?

It sounded like you were assuming that anything that could run any FOSS 
could run all FOSS.

Best wishes,
Hamish



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