Well, matlab--ahem, matrix lab--does certain bits of math quite well. But I would say that R/numpy are most than just 'getting better'. They literally do every

Well, matlab--ahem, matrix lab--does certain bits of math quite well. But I would say that R/numpy are most than just 'getting better'. They literally do every thing you just mentioned, and typically their implementations go beyond matlab's. Where I've found matlab to still be ahead is in the area of domain specific engineering. For example, if you want to manually pulse code a signal using some specific modulation scheme, matlab has a tool for just that. In python you still have to manually write a bit, interface it to the fitting routine, and convolve it across your signal.