3 ms·

Open source version of Alpha? That will never happen. Wolfram is the most anti-source-code person out there. He even has this diatribe about why you should not

by jordigh 12y ago

Open source version of Alpha? That will never happen. Wolfram is the most anti-source-code person out there. He even has this diatribe about why you should not be allowed to see "his" source code: http://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/WhyYouDoNotUsuallyNeedToKnowAboutInternals.html http://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/WhyYouDoNotUs...

derefr 12y ago
That's odd for a business so concerned about selling to academia. You'd expect journals to reject papers where the number-crunching went through a "black box" like that.
- JonnieCache 12y ago
  He's known as a bit of an egomaniac. If you fancy some entertainment, go looking on reddit or whatever for testimony from former employees.
tjl 12y ago
SymPy has made a start on an open source version of Alpha, SymPy Gamma, http://www.sympygamma.com http://www.sympygamma.com The biggest missing piece it's missing is the data used by Alpha. It's missing other things as well, but it's a start.
- jordigh 12y ago
  I don't know if it's too late for this, but as a matter of marketing, why not Omega instead of Gamma? Alpha was the first word on the subject. Omega will be the last.
  - tjl 12y ago
    I wasn't involved in the Gamma aspects of SymPy. At this point, Gamma is probably more appropriate.
wolfwolfwolf 12y ago
How can academics use this software without being exasperated that the name "Wolfram" is constantly shoved into their face? Especially since the guy only wrote a fraction of the "Wolfram System" (A NEW KIND OF SYSTEM!!!).
msane 12y ago
nonetheless, the man makes cool things which I think are worth their price.
- jordigh 12y ago
  He mostly claims other people's work for himself. I suppose he's a good salesman and a good huckster, that much is demonstrably true. He's also apparently competent as a mathematician somewhat, but it's doubtful how much of Mathematica really is his own work. He puts everything under his own name and sues anyone who disputes otherwise.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
  - msane 12y ago
    I wouldn't agree with any of those characterizations. I see him mention the team he has built and what they accomplish together rather frequently.

by jordigh 12y ago

derefr 12y ago

That's odd for a business so concerned about selling to academia. You'd expect journals to reject papers where the number-crunching went through a "black box" like that.

JonnieCache 12y ago
He's known as a bit of an egomaniac. If you fancy some entertainment, go looking on reddit or whatever for testimony from former employees.

tjl 12y ago

SymPy has made a start on an open source version of Alpha, SymPy Gamma, http://www.sympygamma.com http://www.sympygamma.com The biggest missing piece it's missing is the data used by Alpha. It's missing other things as well, but it's a start.

jordigh 12y ago
I don't know if it's too late for this, but as a matter of marketing, why not Omega instead of Gamma? Alpha was the first word on the subject. Omega will be the last.
- tjl 12y ago
  I wasn't involved in the Gamma aspects of SymPy. At this point, Gamma is probably more appropriate.

wolfwolfwolf 12y ago

How can academics use this software without being exasperated that the name "Wolfram" is constantly shoved into their face? Especially since the guy only wrote a fraction of the "Wolfram System" (A NEW KIND OF SYSTEM!!!).

msane 12y ago

nonetheless, the man makes cool things which I think are worth their price.

jordigh 12y ago
He mostly claims other people's work for himself. I suppose he's a good salesman and a good huckster, that much is demonstrably true. He's also apparently competent as a mathematician somewhat, but it's doubtful how much of Mathematica really is his own work. He puts everything under his own name and sues anyone who disputes otherwise.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- msane 12y ago
  I wouldn't agree with any of those characterizations. I see him mention the team he has built and what they accomplish together rather frequently.