[Mac OS X TeX] Re: [0ff-topic] Matlab and Mac OS X

[Dave McCollum]

<x-flowed>Georges,

The latest version of Matlab available to Mac users was built in 
mid-1998. I doubt if there are any optimizations in the code for G3 
processors (G4s weren't available for some time). Also, the Mesa 
graphics "OpenGL clone" libraries were included (true OpenGL support 
on the Mac was just appearing in 1998/1999). So, if Matlab were 
simply recompiled today with G3 and G4 optimizations, and the Mesa 
library calls replaced by OpenGL calls, we would have a much faster 
application.

There may be something we could do about improving graphics 
performance. Someone could obtain the source code for the included 
Mesa libraries and rebuild them (they have to supplied by The 
MathWorks on request, as part of the Mesa license). Or, since Mesa is 
supposed to have an API equivalent to OpenGL, someone might be able 
to rebuild the Mesa libraries to directly use OpenGL in the Mac OS... 
or, maybe this effort would be better spent on developing Octave, 
SciLab, gnatlab, etc.

[I sort of wish these groups would get together and make a viable, 
fully featured program that would directly compete with Matlab, sans 
Simulink ---- all I've ever seen are incomplete projects (not even 
version 1.0 beta level.]

Oh well.



-Dave


>Hello to all,
>
>I subscribed to this mailing list a short while ago and feel urged 
>to react to the MATLAB off-topic.
>First a brief introduction: I work for a small dutch engineering 
>firm involved in innovative hydrostatics. I use LaTeX (TeXShop and 
>Pepper under OSX) for the dissertation I am writing.
>
>Although off-topic, I was glad the MATLAB issue appeared on this 
>mailing list. The Mathworks had gotten me to think I was the only 
>Mac MATLAB user left ! (They sent me their standard answer on the 
>OSX inquiry)
>
>Thanks for all the usefull remarks and tips:
>- I too, had the MATLAB crashing on window closing issue: on my 
>desktop, not on my laptop: I will upgrade to 9.2.1 and OSX 10.1 
>shortly.
>- I had forgotten about Octave, I will revisit them and the 
>alternatives mentioned.
>
>On MATLAB speed under OSX: I have tested on a dual processor (500 
>Mhz) desktop G4 and got equal speed running MATLAB in 9.1 under OSX, 
>compared to native running under 9.1 on the same machine. It seems 
>the speed advantage claimed for OSX on dual processor machines, 
>offsets the speed penalty of running 9.1 under OSX.
>
>Georges Vael
>Innas BV
>Nikkelstraat 15
>4823 AE  Breda
>The Netherlands
>+31.76.5424080
>gvael at innas.com
>
>PS: Don't look for www.innas.com, it is not yet there!
>
>
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