<p>I've seen previous threads here on graphing calculators (the TI-89 titanium seems to be king), but is there good software that simulates a graphing calculator? I work under both Windows and Mac, so ideally it would be great to find a package available for both. I've been playing with a Windows freeware package called Graph, but am wondering what else is out there (and it isn't available for Mac). My use is as a freshman MechE major starting Calc 1.</p>
<p>You’ll get familiar with Matlab.</p>
<p>Additionally there’s software like Octave (“the GNU-Matlab”), Sage and Mathematica.</p>
<p>I would recommend Sage and/or Octave, because they’re FOSS software.</p>
<p>FreeMat is another Matlab alternative available on all platforms.
[url=<a href=“http://freemat.sourceforge.net/]FreeMat[/url”>http://freemat.sourceforge.net/]FreeMat[/url</a>]</p>
<p>If you want to actually simulate a graphing calculator directly, I suggest you look into the “Virtual TI” application.</p>
<p>Something like MATLAB and Mathematica may very well be available free of charge at your school, but they are overkill for what a graphing calculator is used for.</p>
<p>Thanks for the comments, all very helpful.</p>
<p>Yes, I’m definitely going to be buying a graphing calculator anyway, but thought it would be a handy capability to have on the computers I work on.</p>
<p>I agree that the MATLAB-like programs are much more than I need for my basic graphing function. But since I’m going to be learning MATLAB anyway in due time, probably no harm in getting a taste of it now.</p>
<p>I downloaded Windows binaries for Octave and FreeMat to my Windows laptop, and they seem to function similarly. At least in the version I got from SourceForge, Octave appears a little less convenient because it runs in an MS-DOS-like command window, whereas FreeMat runs in a GUI that seems to make it easier to paste in entries. Octave also seemed to take longer to invoke Gnuplot to draw a graph. Before I get too far down the road in working with either one, are there any other factors to consider in choosing between FreeMat and Octave? Close fidelity to MATLAB would be a plus, but from slightly scratching the surface they both seem to behave just about identically.</p>
<p>In my experience I have found FreeMat to be the most compatible free alternative as far as the basic operations go. If matlab script includes calls to functions contained in various toolboxes then all bets are off.</p>
<p>IMHO, you will be better off installing student version of Matlab instead of tinkering with any of the free alternatives. $99 is worth the price and it will save you a lot of headache.</p>
<p>If you don’t care for compatibility with Matlab your best option is python.</p>
<p>Great, thanks.</p>
<p>Speaking of tinkering with free alternatives, is there anything in the open source world that would be similar to SolidWorks?</p>
<p>See if your school offers MATLAB. Many schools purchase a school-wide license for its students.</p>
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<p>I doubt you will find anything in the open source world for 3D modelling.</p>
<p>You can get SketchUp Make for free but it may not be versatile enough for what you want to do. From what I understand the student version of SolidWorks costs $100/yr. Or, you can get Rhino3d for ~ $195.</p>
<p>I wish I had these tools when I was in college though we had fun with T-squares. :)</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
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<p>My dad has shown me a couple of his slide rules …</p>
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<p>haha I have one of them too! It was one of my prized possessions.
Thanks for helping me feel ancient. :)</p>
<p>By the way, in high school we had to use log/trig tables to do all calculations.</p>
<p>@Angeleno23
“Speaking of tinkering with free alternatives, is there anything in the open source world that would be similar to SolidWorks?”</p>
<p>[FreeCAD:</a> An Open Source parametric 3D CAD modeler](<a href=“http://www.freecadweb.org/]FreeCAD:”>http://www.freecadweb.org/)</p>