Python vs. Matlab

[Daehyok Shin]

One problem of Matlab I found is that there is no explicit control
in reference copying.
As soon as you change an element of a huge array in a function,
Matlab copies all the elements into a new array.
This has a significant effect on performance
in s/w of large scale.
In Numpy, you have the perfect control in copying array
, as well as its source.

Peter

Helge Avlesen <avle at rogn.ii.uib.no> wrote in message
news:724s6sa0k5.fsf at rogn.ii.uib.no...
>
> I have become almost addicted to Matlab after using it extensively for
> some years, however, the licencing feels very strict after getting
> used to free and very good quality software like Emacs, Linux, etc.
>
> My main use of Matlab is reading in large binary files into
> arrays(output from simulations), do some processing with various
> matrix routines, then extract sections of the 3D arrays for plotting.
>
> Spotted Python some months ago, and liked it!  Can Python, Numpy and
> the many plotting extensions be used as a replacement for Matlab, is
> Python slower/faster etc.?
>
> It would be nice to hear some experiences!
>
> --
> Helge Avlesen