Tiga Program Open Source Alternatif Matlab
Salah satu hal yang banyak ditanyakan calon pengguna sistem operasi Open Source adalah apakah Matlab bisa dijalankan di Linux. Pertanyaan ini biasanya diajukan oleh kalangan pendidikan dan ilmuwan. Namun mengingat harga Matlab yang jauh lebih mahal dari harga sistem operasi, biasanya saya tidak menjawab pertanyaan ini … karena pertanyaan ini biasanya diajukan oleh pengguna Matlab bajakan. I Made Wiryana di salah satu artikelnya yang ditulis di tahun 2002 bahkan sempat memaparkan harga Matlab yang selangit … (400 USD untuk student dan 2000 USD untuk dosen).
Lalu, adakah solusinya selain membeli atau menggunakan program bajakan Matlab … ? Ada. Open Source memiliki beberapa program pengganti Matlab yang tentunya mempunyai kompatibilitas dengan Matlab. Tiga program Open Source berikut tersedia di DVD Repository PCLinux3D OS dan bisa Anda pergunakan sebagai pengganti Matlab :
- Sage. SAGE is open source mathematics software that can be used to studying elementary to advanced number theory, algebra, cryptography, group theory and so much more. It includes interfaces to many other software applications, both commercial and open source, enabling you to use them together. Magma, Maple, Mathematica, MATLAB, and MuPAD, and the free programs Axiom, GAP, GP/PARI, Macaulay2, Maxima, Octave, and Singular are just a few of the interfaces that SAGE provides its users.
- SciLab. Scilab is a toolbox for all of your numerical computing needs. It is a great software package for people working in engineering or scientific areas. Linear algebra, matrices, polynomials – everything is easily handled by Scilab. Simulation e.g. based on solving differential equations can be visualized in either 2d or 3d and even with support for animation. Working with graphs is also an area that Scilab turns into a simple task. Using PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine) Scilab can even utilize a network of computers by distributing it calculations. Scilab is partly compatible with MATLAB.
- Octave. Octave, a freely redistributable software, is used for numerical computation with an interactive environment. Students pick up the basics quickly, comfortably using it within just a few hours. High-level language application intended primarily for numerical computations and other numerical experiments using a language that is compatible with Matlab. It is customizable with user-defined functions written in Octave’s language or C++, C, Fortran or others.