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Re: Numerical Mathematics Consortium


From: Paul Kienzle
Subject: Re: Numerical Mathematics Consortium
Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2005 10:54:47 -0500


On Nov 18, 2005, at 6:06 PM, Andy Adler wrote:

I took a quick look at the web site; they're seem to be trying to standardize mathematical language syntax. The example they give compares Matlab to Mathcad.

They are trying to standardize the library rather than the syntax. This is from their executive summary:

"By standardizing the semantics of functions, inputs and outputs will have the same meaning and order in any compliant application. While the syntax may change among compliant applications, a developer well versed in the syntax of multiple products will no longer have to concern himself with the details of parameter ordering and behavior."

Reading elsewhere in their documents, they are only talking about numerics, not plotting or language features.

I don't see how they are going to address numerics without talking about language features like objects, keyword arguments, multiple returns and type based dispatch. For example, object oriented libraries tend to define LU as an object which accepts the matrix as the constructor and has methods for returning L and U whereas octave returns L and U from a function call.

Unfortunately, Matlab is not a part of the consortium. Unless they
join (and I don't think I see why they might) I can't see much
chance that they could have much useful success.

Any idea what percentage of the market Matlab holds? In this market I'm including products like Origin+NAG, Mathematica, LabVIEW, S-Plus, Maple, IDL, Mathcad and other products that support numerical linear algebra as part of their product line. If we are talking users, rather than $, then include R, Octave, SciLab, lispstat, ... as well.

I think they can have useful success even without matlab.

It also seems that Octave (and other numerical software such
as SciPy) would be actively invited by such a consortium...

Three membership levels:

* Full at $2500/annum with voting rights;
* associate at $200/annum with full access to outputs;
* advisory at $0/annum

The second statement concerns me---it suggests that the outputs of this organization will not be freely redistributable, which would make them useless to us.


Octave has historically tried to stay compatible with Matlab when
possible/reasonable, so that direction is pretty well set.

With namespace support it is possible to be compatible with multiple libraries simultaneously. Of course this will have to be the work of someone scratching their own itch to implement the wrapper for the alternative API and the parser/translator for the alternative syntax.


Just my opinion ...
--
Andy Adler <address@hidden> 1(613)562-5800x6218

On Fri, 18 Nov 2005, Javier Arantegui wrote:

Hello,

Today I learnt that a Numerical Mathematics Consortium (1) haved been
established on August 9. The founding members of the consortium are
Maplesoft, Mathsoft, National Instruments and INRIA (makers of SciLab).

(1) http://www.nmconsortium.org/

The main goals of the consortium are:
* Provide a fundation that facilitates the reuse of numerical math algorithms
* Standardize definitions, semantics, etc.
* Help users to interpret and reuse algorithms
* Facilitate the use of these algorithms for embedded and real-time targets.

I think that it's quite importat that the Octave development team were part of
this consortium to let the Octave comunity voice be heard.

I'd like to know if there is any action planned in this direction.

Javier


--
Javier Arántegui
Dept. Tecnologia de Alimentos / Dept. of Food Technology
Universitat de Lleida / University of Lleida (Spain)

Tel. +34 973702595
Fax  +34 973702596
IM: Jabber - javier.arantegui (AT) jabberes.org
http://www.tecal.udl.es



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-------------------------------------------------------------
Octave is freely available under the terms of the GNU GPL.

Octave's home on the web:  http://www.octave.org
How to fund new projects:  http://www.octave.org/funding.html
Subscription information:  http://www.octave.org/archive.html
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-------------------------------------------------------------
Octave is freely available under the terms of the GNU GPL.

Octave's home on the web:  http://www.octave.org
How to fund new projects:  http://www.octave.org/funding.html
Subscription information:  http://www.octave.org/archive.html
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