Re: Octave in Universities

[Michael Creel]

Steve C. Thompson wrote:

> [soap box on]
>
> At one time, I used Matlab's GUI; and, yeah, it had
> some features that were useful.  I now use X windows
> with multiple virtual desktops, Vim, terminal emulators
> (Konsole), and so forth.  In my view, the features
> gained with this later approach largely outweigh the
> features lost by ditching Matlab's GUI.  So my message
> to anyone who is hung up on Matlab's GUI is that there
> is a much bigger world of great tools available.  With
> a little work, the return on investment is significant.  
>
>   Step 1: learn how to use *vi* or Emacs
>   Step 2: learn how to use X windows, virtual desktops
>   Step 3: use GNU Octave
>
> Of course, these steps are done in parallel and the
> enjoyable process is continuous, never ending!
>
> [soap box off]

Looking at it from a newbie's point of view, you're asking them to do 
the most painful, steepest learning curve, less obviously productive 
stuff first, and the intrinsically interesting not-too difficult stuff 
last. Also, at a university, the potential users are mostly undergrad 
students who were born after the DOS prompt was starting to fade into 
the past. Making Octave work with a GUI, and making it really easy to 
plot and print graphs will help a lot in getting used. I hate to say it, 
but making it work with windows will have a bigger effect that any other 
factor. I'm constantly amazed with the trouble windows users will put up 
with, rather than invest in a day learning how to use KDE.
M.





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