Maxima for numerical methods (v. Scilab)?

> >> It seems I may be teaching an elementary subject in numerical computation
> >> next semester.  The usual sorts of things: error analysis, solution of
> >> equations, interpolation, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, quadrature,
> >> differential equations.  I want to base the subject around free software,
> >> so the students can use it at home.
>
> This doesn't seem like a very good argument -- there are student licenses
> for software that are less expensive than textbooks, and you seem to
> be expecting students to have relatively expensive computers at home.
> (I thought mupad had free student use licenses, too)

This is an argument, if not a good one. Another can be that free
software (as in freedom) comes with mroe than free price (to use them
also at home) but to find many other routines and complements, and
most of the time good, free documentation, and that they will also be
usable in a professionnal environnement for free (both freedom and
price).

They are also most of the time easier to glue together to form another
chain of tools that can provide additionnal, greater services, than
proprietary software.

> You might also find a truly useful textbook that was in some way tied to
> a particular CAS that could make your work much easier.

your work, as a teacher, yes, if every student buy the book.

> Nevertheless, if you decide on free software, I agree with Nicolas-- I hope
> you can use
> the opportunity to write a nice book.

and maybe have the help of the community for the writing of such a
book that could become a reference textbook for Maxima in this field

> You should obviously look at the other books on this topic using
> computer algebra systems, for hints on what can be done neatly,
> symbolically.  Or books using Matlab etc.
>
> I think you may find it useful to use both kinds of software. Students
> with a familiarity with Matlab or a clone of it may find this useful, too.

I think working on both could be a good idea. Recently on this list,
someone mentionned (also after a request of mine) a project that links
free software like octave, python, maxima ... that you may find very
useful. I'll try to find the name of the project and send it back to
the list.

Thanks,

Nicolas
--
Nicolas Pettiaux - email: nicolas.pettiaux at ael.be