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Re: Simulink for Octave


From: c.
Subject: Re: Simulink for Octave
Date: Sat, 20 Aug 2011 15:25:17 +0200

On 20 Aug 2011, at 01:28, xavion wrote:

> I appreciate the helpful responses.  Some background on me... I'm a hardcore
> Matlab/Simulink user for 15 years and discovered Octave a few weeks ago
> after my Matlab student edition could not be installed on my new Windows 7
> 64bit PC.  I contacted Mathworks for a quote - $2500 for Matlab and $1000
> for Simulink.
That is one of the risks involved with using proprietary software.

>  After that, I decided to search for alternatives.  

a few viable alternatives have been proposed previously in this thread.
In particular I would say, to summarize 

- if you really need the GUI, but can give up on strict Matlab compatibility
Scilab + Xcos is the way to go

- if you don't really nedd the GUI, Octave can do with dynamic systems most
 of the things taht Matlab can 

I would also suggest giving a look at OpenModelica:
http://www.openmodelica.org/

which seems very promising, although the frequent references to "open source"
on the web site make me wonder whether that is really free software.


> I'd say the Octave developers are spending THEIR time making ZERO money.
Fortunately it is not so :) most Octave developers are first of all Octave 
USERS, 
they are paid for the work they do WITH Octave not on Octave.
Some are (ore have been)  paid to work on Octave.

>  A healthy REWARD is deserved for developing an astonishing and powerful 
> tool. 
part of this reward is that working cooperatively to improve Octave gives users 
a better tool and makes them more productive in their everyday work.

> My humble recommendation... develop a Simulink-like capability compatible
> with Octave as an open source & free tool.  Then sell some additional
> toolboxes at an affordable price.  For me, I would not mind paying $50 to
> $100 dollars for a toolbox.  If you sell 100,000 tool boxes, that's $10M in
> revenue.  Does that motivate you?
The recommendation is very welcome and appreciated but unfortunately the 
approach you suggest
does not fit with the way Octave (and many other free software projects) work 
and cannot be implemented.
You seem to think of Octave as a company similar to the Mathworks, but it isn't.
Octave is developed by many indepent individuals who mostly develop those 
extensions they need 
for themselves (or that someone else pays them to implement) and then agree to 
share their work with others.
One of the issues involved with selling Octave (or add-ons) would be how to 
distribute the 
revenue deriving from its sales among the many contributors.


> You have proven that Mathworks does NOT offer good value-for-money because
> Octave does most of what basic Matlab can do at zero cost.  
I was trying to explain that Octave does not come at zero cost either, it is
a common mistake to confuse the term "free" in "free-software" with "gratis".

> I think you are
> already biting into Mathworks bottom line through shear passion.  Its
> catching on at universities and small businesses.  Its time to collect a
> reward.  My only concern is that Matlab will soon realize this and offer to
> buy out Ocatve.  Please don't sell your soul.
Oh, well. I don't think there is a way to actually "buy" Octave, the GPL 
license 
is especially designed to prevent anyone from taking away freedom from the 
software.
On the other hand, Octave developers could be hired by a proprietary software 
company, but, as Jordi
said, some would be reluctant to accept.

c.





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