[R] Comparison between R and MATLAB

Kevin J. Thompson kthomps7 at gmu.edu
Fri Jun 20 21:18:12 CEST 2008


hi,
 
  my 0.2$ the rpy python module is excellent, in addition to those Wacek mentioned.     

  another free alternative, particularly for graphics  is scilab:
http://www.scilab.org/ 

thanks,
kevin

----- Original Message -----
From: Wacek Kusnierczyk <Waclaw.Marcin.Kusnierczyk at idi.ntnu.no>
Date: Friday, June 20, 2008 2:47 pm
Subject: Re: [R] Comparison between R and MATLAB

> for many tasks, gnu octave (a 'matlab clone', no offense to gnu folks
> intended) is quite sufficient, and *free* (+ open source).  you 
> can run
> some of matlab code in octave.
> 
> you should also check if sage (http://www.sagemath.org/) can do 
> the job
> for you, it's stuffed with all sorts of maths utilities, with friendly
> python frontend, etc.
> and once you're at python's, check numpy, scipy, and matplotlib, which
> do lots of good work too.  all open source, of course.
> 
> vQ
> 
> 
> Clint Bowman wrote:
> > The easy way around that is to create an account, "Mathworks", 
> with a
> > common group that all who will use MatLab belong, then su - 
> Mathworks> should satisfy the license manager.
> >
> > Clint Bowman                	INTERNET:	clint at ecy.wa.gov
> > Air Dispersion Modeler        	INTERNET:	clint at math.utah.edu
> > Air Quality Program        	VOICE:        	(360) 407-6815
> > Department of Ecology        	FAX:        	(360) 407-7534
> >
> > 	USPS:          	PO Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600
> > 	Parcels:	300 Desmond Drive, Lacey, WA 98503-1274
> >
> > On Fri, 20 Jun 2008, Earl F. Glynn wrote:
> >
> >   
> >> "Shubha Vishwanath Karanth" <shubhak at ambaresearch.com> wrote in 
> message>> news:7D44476A5833D340A0A85099D5EAD8B2832C at BAN-
> MAILSRV02.Amba.com...>> Can I get a comparison between R and 
> MATLAB? How is R efficient than MATLAB?
> >> Or what are the weaknesses of R compared to MATLAB?
> >>
> >>
> >> Don't forget to compare licenses and cost.  Matlab's rigid and 
> unreasonable>> license is the main reason I use R now.
> >>
> >> Several years ago the Mathworks refused to let a post doc and 
> me share a
> >> MatLab license -- they wanted all single-user licenses to be 
> named users
> >> even if each of us only needed MatLab a few hours a month.  I 
> asked if they
> >> had a "math model" for what we got for a license, but they 
> didn't care that
> >> there was a huge disconnect between what they wanted to sell 
> and our usage
> >> needs.  I quit using MatLab, converted my project from MatLab 
> to R, and now
> >> steer as many people to R as possible.
> >>
> >> The Mathworks refuses to acknowledge that life-science users of 
> math tools
> >> are not like physical science users.  Biologists can spend 
> weeks or months
> >> on experiments and then occasionally need high-end math tools  
> for analysis.
> >>
> >> A single shared network MatLab license outside of academia is 
> outrageously>> expensive.  A single network concurrent license for 
> Matlab and the Image
> >> processing, Signal Processing and PDE toolboxes costs $18,800 --
> I received
> >> that quote just yesterday since we still have a few people that 
> use existing
> >> MatLab code.
> >>
> >> MatLab may be a good product, but the Mathworks is unreasonable 
> in how they
> >> license it.  We are a non-profit, basic life scientific 
> research institute
> >> and the Mathworks sells us the same license as for-profit 
> businesses.  Only
> >> degree-granting universities are eligible for academic pricing 
> apparently.>>
> >> efg
> >> Earl F Glynn
> >> Bioinformatics
> >> Stowers Institute for Medical Research
> >>
> >> ______________________________________________
> >> R-help at r-project.org mailing list
> >> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> >> PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-
> project.org/posting-guide.html
> >> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
> >>
> >>     
> >
> > ______________________________________________
> > R-help at r-project.org mailing list
> > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> > PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-
> project.org/posting-guide.html
> > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
> >   
> 
> 
> -- 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> ------------
> Wacek Kusnierczyk, MD PhD
> 
> Email: waku at idi.ntnu.no
> Phone: +47 73591875, +47 72574609
> 
> Department of Computer and Information Science (IDI)
> Faculty of Information Technology, Mathematics and Electrical 
> Engineering (IME)
> Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
> Sem Saelands vei 7, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
> Room itv303
> 
> Bioinformatics & Gene Regulation Group
> Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine (IKM)
> Faculty of Medicine (DMF)
> Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
> Laboratory Center, Erling Skjalgsons gt. 1, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
> Room 231.05.060
> 
> ______________________________________________
> R-help at r-project.org mailing list
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-
> guide.htmland provide commented, minimal, self-contained, 
> reproducible code.
>



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