Slightly OT: student usage of Maxima vs Maple

I found this comparison useful.

http://beige.ucs.indiana.edu/P573/node11.html

<>The Playsome Threesome: Maxima, Maple, and Mathematica



Dotan Cohen wrote:

>As a second-year mechanical engineering student, I have only
>superficially examined Maxima for my needs. I find that wxMaxima meets
>most of my current needs, but my future nneeds I do not yet know.
>Today, the folks at Maple set up shop in my university and are selling
>one-year student licenses of Maple for the equivalent of $15 USD. I
>bought one so that I could use both programs for one year and compare
>their usage.
>
>I intend to solve my problems with both programs as often as I can, so
>that I can know them both. However, unfamiliar with mathematical
>programs in general, what features/properties should I pay special
>attention to? What are the known advantages and disadvantages of each?
>While in principal I prefer open source software (I use Kubuntu Linux
>OS), I do believe in using the best tool for the job. I'm not looking
>for an open-source vs closed source argument, but rather personal
>comparisons of the programs regardless of price or license.
>
>I hope that this does not turn into a flame war, but it seems to me
>that the maxima list is much less willing to flame honest this-vs-that
>questions than, say, the debian list :) Thanks in advance.
>
>Dotan Cohen
>
>http://what-is-what.com
>http://gibberish.co.il
>?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?-?
>
>A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
>Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
>
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