i dont see any point

[curlyc]

so from what im seeing this takes what could be simple code... and turns it into a math problem for some reason, i just dont see why this is a valid thing to learn unless you wanted a super fancy calculator but even then you wouldnt need this

can someone tell me just one reason this is good, one use?

[gkreidl]

so from what im seeing this takes what could be simple code... and turns it into a math problem for some reason, i just dont see why this is a valid thing to learn unless you wanted a super fancy calculator but even then you wouldnt need this

can someone tell me just one reason this is good, one use?

From Wikipedia:

Wolfram Mathematica (usually termed Mathematica) is a mathematical symbolic computation program, sometimes termed a computer algebra system or program, used in many scientific, engineering, mathematical, and computing fields.

Obviously you are neither a mathematician, engineer or scientist.
BTW, buying a Raspberry Pi is the only way to get a free version of Mathematica, which is a win win situation for both the Foundation and Wolfram (make it available in schools).

[Gavinmc42]

I have done things with 4 lines of code that would take me months to write in C.
Collect data from a running Stirling engine and plotting the Carnot cycle.

Collecting and plotting data of many types is a useful thing.
Data visualization is a big thing these days.
And it is free and if you know how to use it very fast to see results.
Minutes/hours instead of weeks /months.

Saving time is the good point to using it.

[B.Goode]

from what im seeing this takes what could be simple code... and turns it into a math problem

You've got that reversed. It allows you to take a maths problem and solve it in a few lines of code.

But you don't need to see the point.

If you don't need it, don't use it.

If it still leaves your chakras out of balance, you have the freedom to uninstall it.

[curlyc]

I have done things with 4 lines of code that would take me months to write in C.
Collect data from a running Stirling engine and plotting the Carnot cycle.

Collecting and plotting data of many types is a useful thing.
Data visualization is a big thing these days.
And it is free and if you know how to use it very fast to see results.
Minutes/hours instead of weeks /months.

Saving time is the good point to using it.

this is a good thing,

[stderr]

i just dont see why this is a valid thing to learn

Big Maple fan?

[scruss]

Mathematic works symbolically, so there's no rounding error. I recently used it to calculate the vertices of a 5-pointed star, which it returned in terms of exact square roots.

It also understands algebra:

Code: Select all

In[1]:= Factor[1+2*x +x^2]
Out[1]= (1+x)^2

[Username2]

so from what im seeing this takes what could be simple code... and turns it into a math problem for some reason, i just dont see why this is a valid thing to learn unless you wanted a super fancy calculator but even then you wouldnt need this

can someone tell me just one reason this is good, one use?

I understand your comment. As a scientific calculator, this is awesome.
So I am having trouble finding out how to make a stand alone application, that I can distribute to people who do not have Wolfram installed on their computer. Where can I find information to make an .exe application?

This seems to be more of an application rather than a programming language

[stefanv]

i just dont see why this is a valid thing to learn

Big Maple fan?

If he were a big Maple fan, he would see the point. Mathematica wouldn't be his choice of product to use, but he would know its purpose.

Stefan (big Maple fan)

[scruss]

Waterloo alum much, Stefan?

(not hating on Maple, btw. It got me through some difficult strength of materials work in my Masters. The time-consuming bit was showing some of the profs how to use it …)

[wayne.dolesman]

I understand your comment. As a scientific calculator, this is awesome.
So I am having trouble finding out how to make a stand alone application, that I can distribute to people who do not have Wolfram installed on their computer. Where can I find information to make an .exe application?

This seems to be more of an application rather than a programming language

It is a program. It is also protected by copyright laws. You are entitled to use it under certain circumstances with the purchase of a Pi. You are not entitled to redistribute it.

Now if you are talking about making a clone type program to compete against their program then more power to you. Competition is good for everyone. It will not be a trivial endeavor though.

They do have quite a bit of features which can be seen on their website which makes it challenging to just whip up something in short order. https://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/

[joebloggs]

I think you've missed his point Wayne,

He's asking whether you can produce stand alone executable binaries with wolfram (is it a compiled language?) or whether wolfram is in fact a scripting language that needs a specific application to be useful (wolfram-engine runs the script?).

The term 'programming' has caused some confusion on this point, with some people linking the work to mean the ability to control a computer rather than an application. If it is just a cool maths application with hooks to web resources, then great - but is it really teaching kids to program or is it teaching kids how to use a specific software application.

[stderr]

He's asking whether you can produce stand alone executable binaries with wolfram (is it a compiled language?) or whether wolfram is in fact a scripting language that needs a specific application to be useful (wolfram-engine runs the script?).

I think you can create redistributable applications but you include some version of the wolfram-engine. I suspect doing that costs money. I'm not sure why you think that means it isn't programming. The java language normally uses the jvm, python normally uses its vm.

The term 'programming' has caused some confusion on this point, with some people linking the work to mean the ability to control a computer rather than an application. If it is just a cool maths application with hooks to web resources, then great - but is it really teaching kids to program or is it teaching kids how to use a specific software application.

If programming is only programming in C, then most people who are writing programs are usually not programming. You might as well dismiss C and insist on assembly or even personally moving around individual bits with levers.

[wayne.dolesman]

I think you've missed his point Wayne,

He's asking whether you can produce stand alone executable binaries with wolfram (is it a compiled language?) or whether wolfram is in fact a scripting language that needs a specific application to be useful (wolfram-engine runs the script?).

I thought I covered that with my first sentence "It is a program."

The only reason to have it as an executable would be to feed it different datasets, essentially doing all the processing each time it is executed, the core purpose of the program.

The errata was to counter a potential future question about bundling everything together. Because it is a program (in the way it was previously used in this thread) any attempt to distribute a standalone executable would implicitly require distribution of copyrighted material short of wolfram including that feature specifically to do this. AFAIK there is no such feature.

The additional paragraph about building a clone was to reinforce that it is not going to be a trivial program to have the flexibility.

Does this clear things up for you?

[stefanv]

Waterloo alum much, Stefan?

You could say that.

I've been working with Maple (and on Maple) since before Mathematica existed.

My point of course is that anyone who was a big Maple fan would also see the point of Mathematica, since it's roughly the same as the point of Maple.

[Micha1982]

so from what im seeing this takes what could be simple code... and turns it into a math problem for some reason, i just dont see why this is a valid thing to learn unless you wanted a super fancy calculator but even then you wouldnt need this

can someone tell me just one reason this is good, one use?

Be creative. Just have a look at how many different file-extensions you could import or export with it.

I am a completely non-mathematician...but wont miss this program anymore! It brought much fun to me to play around with its unbelieveable functionality.

[szhorvat]

Take a look at

https://mathematica.stackexchange.com/

and

http://community.wolfram.com/

to see what people use it for. Mathematica is an essential tool for many scientists.

[Heater]

Believe in the math, not wolframalpha:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pa1AryylpM

[MikeG58]

That's a great video.