A General Overview of Matlab
Matlab handles numerical calculations and high-quality graphics, provides a convenient interface to built-in state-of-the-art subroutine libraries, and incorporates a high-level programming language.
Program Functionality: Excellent
Breadth of Functionality: Excellent
Matlab has been called "the lingua franca for the exchange of software and algorithms," rapidly displacing Fortran from that position due to its interactive interface, reliable algorithmic foundation, fully extensible environment, and computational speed.
In addition to the basic Matlab package, UITS has licensed the Simulink package for simulating dynamical systems with a graphical interface/ block diagram scheme, and several additional "Toolboxes" [collections of additional specialized functions].
Reliability and Robustness: Excellent
Matlab is a computer program for people doing numerical computation. It began as a "MATrix LABoratory" program, intended to provide interactive access to the famous LINPACK and EISPACK libraries of state-of-the-art numerical routines. These are carefully tested, high-quality general-use packages for solving linear equations and eigenvalue problems. The goal of Matlab was to enable scientists to use matrix-based techniques to solve problems, without having to write programs in traditional languages like C and Fortran. More capabilities have been added as time has passed, in particular outstanding graphics support.
Matlab is quite robust, and its functions do as well as any *numerical* routines can -- for information on the limitations, as well as the advantages, of the numerical approach, see a mathematics or computer science professor.
State of the Art: Excellent
Matlab was created to provide easy access to state-of-the-art numerical algorithms, and has added significant graphical and interface features over the years.
User Friendliness: Fair
Matlab's command-line interface requires some investment in training before the program can be easily used. It should be regarded as a programming language, rather than an application, and compared to C or Fortran; with that standard, it is very friendly, indeed [it does have a help system].
Electronic Help Resources: Excellent
Network-based help: Excellent
The UITS Knowledge Base (KB) has answers to several frequently asked Matlab questions.
You can also use your web browser to access several archive of Matlab FAQs -- follow the connections from the Stat/Math Web server's Matlab page.
Program Help System: Fair
While Matlab's helps system used to be cutting-edge, it now seems primitive compared to other math packages. Help is available via the "help" command.
A well-organized web-browser-based help system is available, which makes it easier to discover new commands. It offers the same information as the regular help system, with additional graphical examples.
Local Availability: Excellent
Matlab is classified by UITS as General Purpose software on UNIX and Windows NT systems. See the Availability page for additional details.
Our license permits persons associated with IUB to obtain Matlab for their departmental workstations at greatly reduced prices; see the Sales page for more information.
Local Support & Training: Excellent
Document Availability: Excellent
The document Getting Started with Matlab is available online and at the IU Stat/Math Center, (email statmath@iu.edu; phone 855-4724).
UITS makes basic manuals available in document racks in the UITS Student Technology Centers. Full documentation is available for reference and short term loan from various Software Manual Locations. Documents are also available for reference at the UITS Stat/Math Center.
Training Availability: Excellent
UITS offers Matlab classes free of charge to IUB students.
Instructors may request a specially arranged class for introducing their students to MATLAB by contacting the UITS Education Program.
User Group: Exists
A local Matlab User Group meets the first Thursday of each month. Send e-mail to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU containing the line
SUBSCRIBE MATLAB-L
to join the local mailing list.
Matlab has a very active international newsgroup, comp.soft-sys.matlab. Users can always subscribe to and post their questions there. Matlab users can also turn to their colleagues who are familiar with Matlab software for help, or post inquiries to the newsgroup iu.statmath.
UITS Consulting Support: Full Support
Consulting support is available from UITS Stat/Math Center from 9 am to 5 pm (M-F) via email, phone, and for walkins [an appointment is recommended for walkin consulting]. The UITS Support Center and STC consultants may also provide some very basic support.
Other Consulting Support: Good
To subscribe to The MathWorks Newsletter (quarterly publication) and The MATLAB News Digest (distributed via email, approximately monthly), send e-mail to subscribe@mathworks.com including your name, university, address, phone number, email address, and license or serial number (obtained by entering "ver" at the Matlab prompt).
Users of UITS's Matlab licenses should contact the Stat/Math Center for Support. Registered Matlab license owners can contact the vendor directly with the number provided with their license agreement: phone 508-653-2452 or send e-mail to support@mathworks.com.
