Re: What is MAPLE?

["Paul Camp" <pjcamp@coastal.edu>]

>    I have seen a reference to MAPLE at several physics related web sites.
> Could someone clue me in as to exactly what it is?
>
>     Thanks in advance.
>
> Ed Schweber 

MAPLE is a symbolic manipulation program produced by Waterloo 
University in Canada (hence the name). I have a great deal of 
fondness for the program since it was instrumental in my dissertation 
research. It is broadly similar to Mathematica but there are some 
distinctions -- if you are mostly interested in graphic 
representation of your problem, Mathematica is somewhat superior but 
if you want raw numerical power Maple is somewhat superior.

The program is marketed in the US, in a desultory way, by MathSoft, 
the makers of MathCAD. They seem to view it as primarily a vehicle 
for selling MathCAD and you basically have to beg them to sell it to 
you. Go figure.

If you are interested in relativity, there is an add-on program 
available freely called MapleTensor which is quite useful.

I like it a bit better than Mathematica but for most purposes they 
are pretty comparable.



Paul J. Camp                   "The Beauty of the Universe
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