[Tutor] Python vs. MATLAB

[Joel Schwartz]

Chris,

Can you say more about number (7) in your list? What does "pass by value"
mean and what are the alternatives?

Thanks,
Joel 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tutor-bounces+joel=joelschwartz.com at python.org 
> [mailto:tutor-bounces+joel=joelschwartz.com at python.org] On 
> Behalf Of Chris Fuller
> Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 6:22 AM
> To: tutor at python.org
> Subject: Re: [Tutor] Python vs. MATLAB
> 
> 1) Python is free!
> 2) Python indices start at 0!
> 3) Python has way better GUIs
> 4) Python can emulate a lot of Matlab functionality with 
> matplotlib and numpy
> 5) Matlab has a rather limited number of data structures
> 6) Matlab doesn't have anything like the third party support 
> for almost anything
> 7) Almost everything in Matlab is pass-by-value. This can get 
> to be a bit of a
>    pain at times.
> 8) Python is a general-purpose programming language, and as 
> such, has a much
>    wider set of features
> 9) There are a lot more Python developers to share code with 
> and learn from
> 
> It's free! Install it on all your computers. Take it home to 
> use for work or play. Show it to your friends. Keep using it 
> after you leave your place of work/study!
> 
> The "interpreted" bit refers to the fact that the source code 
> is not compiled before it is run. This is also true of Matlab.
> 
> 
> Cheers
> 
> 
> On Monday 06 December 2010, Jaidev Deshpande wrote:
> > Dear all
> > 
> > What advantages does Python have over MATLAB as a 
> programming language,
> > (not the computing environment of MATLAB)?
> > 
> > Also, wikipedia says Python is an interpreted language, 
> what does that
> > mean?
> 
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