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Matlab & Autocad

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  • 10-10-2013 4:10pm
    #1
    dodzy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,920 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks,

    a colleague is chasing this for her son who is in college. I just seen the previous post on the free version of cad which is grand but any ideas on suggestions on the Matlab ? Apparently, this is more importand. I've to install this ( ideally both ) on a laptop that's heading down to him on Saturday so would ideally like to box it off ASAP.

    Cheers for any advice.


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    #2
    Dudda
    Registered Users Posts: 1,541 ✭✭✭Dudda


    I used AutoCAD daily in two colleges in Ireland, taught it for a while in another and my girlfriend is using it now in another college.

    Pirate versions of AutoCAD and other software are found easier than a hangover in colleges and Universities.

    From a learning point of view it's best if the son uses the same program as the others around him so that means an illegal version of AutoCAD instead of Draftsight. You could also go for the Student Version of AutoCAD which is quiet reasonable. They will be swapping files, hints, and helping each other out and he'll get the most benefit if he's on the same program with the same commands. AutoCAD aren't too strict on students using illegal copies as they usually purchase or encourage their employers to purchase AutoCAD for the remainder of their careers. I know my boss is now paying thousands a year.

    I'd just send the laptop to him and he'll get a pirate copy of both programs from someone in his class within a few days. Yourself and his mother may not approve but you won't be part of the illegal installing process and it's the best option from a learning point of view.

    Sorry if this isn't the advice you wanted but I'm just being honest with what I've seen and what happens.


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    #3
    dodzy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,920 ✭✭✭dodzy


    Matlab suggestions anyone ?


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    #4
    Turbulent Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 1,622 ✭✭✭Turbulent Bill


    dodzy wrote: »
    Matlab suggestions anyone ?

    I'd give Octave or some of the Python extensions a spin. Haven't used any of them, but they're reportedly similar to Matlab in functionality and syntax.

    Bear in mind that student versions of Matlab are /were available very cheaply and legally, might be an easier introduction.


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    #5
    BrianDug
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭BrianDug


    MATLAB is ~80euro for a student licence (if you have a college email address) it will have about 5 toolboxes with it included. The full version has all the tool boxes but it costs thousands. The tool boxes are only addons so you can buy them for 20e each if needed. MATLAB works without the toolboxes.

    AutoCAD is free again with student email address, google autodesk students and you can download all their software free as a student.

    As Turbulent Bill said Octave is a similar free version to MATLAB but I would recommend you splash out and buy MATLAB.

    Just a note: when you first see MATLAB it does not look like much but its extremely powerful once you know how to use it.


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    #6
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    You could try wxMaxima first. Granted its solver isn't anywhere near as powerful as matlab, but its a starting point before shelling out on it.


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    #7
    cerastes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,601 ✭✭✭cerastes


    BrianDug wrote: »
    MATLAB is ~80euro for a student licence (if you have a college email address) it will have about 5 toolboxes with it included. The full version has all the tool boxes but it costs thousands. The tool boxes are only addons so you can buy them for 20e each if needed. MATLAB works without the toolboxes.

    AutoCAD is free again with student email address, google autodesk students and you can download all their software free as a student.

    As Turbulent Bill said Octave is a similar free version to MATLAB but I would recommend you splash out and buy MATLAB.

    Just a note: when you first see MATLAB it does not look like much but its extremely powerful once you know how to use it.

    I know this is reviving something a bit, but its very relevant to my query.

    How much less functional (or limited from a learning point of view?) is matlab without the extra toolboxes and what do they do?
    I dont have a student email so am looking to get into something like this before doing a course so I can put it into use or hit the ground running as Ive experienced matlab previously where it was a side thing to a subject, where an entire module seems like it could have been dedicated to teaching a subject in or the use of it alone.


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    #8
    Turbulent Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 1,622 ✭✭✭Turbulent Bill


    cerastes wrote: »
    I know this is reviving something a bit, but its very relevant to my query.

    How much less functional (or limited from a learning point of view?) is matlab without the extra toolboxes and what do they do?
    I dont have a student email so am looking to get into something like this before doing a course so I can put it into use or hit the ground running as Ive experienced matlab previously where it was a side thing to a subject, where an entire module seems like it could have been dedicated to teaching a subject in or the use of it alone.

    Haven't used Matlab in a while, but from memory the toolboxes were nice-to-have but certainly not essential. You inevitably end up writing plenty of your own code regardless of the application, and once you know the basics you can pretty much do anything.


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    #9
    cerastes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,601 ✭✭✭cerastes


    Turbulent Bill wrote: »
    Haven't used Matlab in a while, but from memory the toolboxes were nice-to-have but certainly not essential. You inevitably end up writing plenty of your own code regardless of the application, and once you know the basics you can pretty much do anything.

    Good place to start? I dont have a student email
    Is there anything with tutorials, that I could work alongside?
    I know I could try opensource stuff too, but I find its not as easy or familiar or that Id have the time to incorporate that element when already trying to learn something,
    Ive done a bit of maths in the past but Ive forgotten most of it, do I need to brush up on that for this?


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    #10
    Turbulent Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 1,622 ✭✭✭Turbulent Bill


    cerastes wrote: »
    Good place to start? I dont have a student email
    Is there anything with tutorials, that I could work alongside?
    I know I could try opensource stuff too, but I find its not as easy or familiar or that Id have the time to incorporate that element when already trying to learn something,
    Ive done a bit of maths in the past but Ive forgotten most of it, do I need to brush up on that for this?

    I find that learn - by - doing is the only way to get to grips with software; passively following tutorials doesn't do much. You might be different though. Without the software it's going to be difficult.

    Strong linear algebra skills will help a lot - Matlab is strongly matrix based. When I started I just didn't understand the maths well enough to use the software, but once you get over that it's not difficult.


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