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Open Source 'Sage' Takes Aim at High End Math Software

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the that'll-take-awhile dept.

coondoggie writes "A new open source mathematics program is looking to push aside commercial software commonly used in mathematics education, in large government laboratories and in math-intensive research. The program's backers say the software, called Sage, can do anything from mapping a 12-dimensional object to calculating rainfall patterns under global warming."

20 of 360 comments (clear)

  1. Added benefit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Plus, its creators' heads can probably fit through normal-sized doorways.

    1. Re:Added benefit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      My understanding is that his head is that large to contain his fantastically large brain. Apparently he is a genius.

    2. Re:Added benefit by not-admin · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hey Mr. Wolfram! When did you start reading slashdot?

    3. Re:Added benefit by PachmanP · · Score: 2, Funny

      On what do you base your snide remark?

      of anybody that I've met in the world of mathematics
      On that qualification. Thank you I'll be here all night.
      --
      You're thinking small. Why miniaturize the laser, when we could instead enlarge the sharks? -John Searle
    4. Re:Added benefit by ComputerPhreak · · Score: 2, Funny

      How about 'Sagematica'? Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

    5. Re:Added benefit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      When I was trapped in that room with the damn narrow door...

  2. 12 dimensions... by blake1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    but I thought Doc only just figured out the 4th.

    1. Re:12 dimensions... by TobyRush · · Score: 4, Funny

      And E. Lizardo and T. Hikita, et al, made some strides toward the eighth... and even had some independent confirmation by B. Banzai years later.

      --
      Sam! If you will let me be,
      I will try them.
      You will see.
    2. Re:12 dimensions... by ParaShoot · · Score: 2, Funny

      a cluster of ps3/supper computer If it could make me supper too I'd be far more inclined to buy a PS3!
  3. Questions from evil mastermind by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

    As an international evil mastermind I have numerous plans which require advanced mathematical calculations and simulations to be performed (wiping out the human race, transmogrifying all kittens into war machines, etc - the usual kind of stuff).

    I was wondering if the license of this software will allow me to achieve my goals without giving up my principles and secrets?

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
    1. Re:Questions from evil mastermind by WWWWolf · · Score: 5, Funny

      As an international evil mastermind I have numerous plans which require advanced mathematical calculations and simulations to be performed (wiping out the human race, transmogrifying all kittens into war machines, etc - the usual kind of stuff).

      I was wondering if the license of this software will allow me to achieve my goals without giving up my principles and secrets?

      Regrettably in this release, SAGE is somewhat limited and would not meet your goals. Due to some unforeseen limitations, it can only run in Baby Mulching Machines at the moment. However, I believe the next release has worked out these little kinks.

    2. Re:Questions from evil mastermind by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...Baby Mulching Machines

      Mulching is one of the simplest and most beneficial things you can do for your home garden. As mulches slowly decompose, they provide organic matter which helps keep the soil loose. This improves root growth, increases the infiltration of water, and also improves the water-holding capacity of the soil.

      As any parent can tell you, babies are an excellent source of organic material.

  4. Pretty Graphs by gambit3 · · Score: 4, Funny

    yeah, but can it do pretty graphs? Everyone knows that's what people are looking for: pretty 3D graphs.

    --
    Watch the Teaser Trailer for "The Lightning Thief" Her
  5. Continuum by drooling-dog · · Score: 4, Funny

    do anything from mapping a 12-dimensional object to calculating rainfall patterns under global warming So those two things are at the extrema of a continuum of what it can do, and I have to figure out whether my particular application also lies on that continuum? Or am I taking this statement too literally?
  6. Re:Go straight to the source by heteromonomer · · Score: 2, Funny

    I tried it and it seems great. No matter how hard a problem I throw at it it always gives the correct answer. 42.

  7. What SAGE cannot do is.... by 3seas · · Score: 4, Funny

    .... calculate the slashdot effect.

  8. Kittens are dangerous enough already!! by Non-Huffable+Kitten · · Score: 2, Funny

    Kitten are (...) impervious to all types of magic, including magic cast by flapjacks. Physical combat is ineffective againts them, so the only conceivable way to defeat a kitten is to trap it in a laundry basket.

    Sources and further reading: http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Kitten#Kitten_Feeding_Behaviour

    --
    Medium cat is MEDIUM.
  9. Re:FLOSS misses the point again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Plus, with Mathematica, you aren't allowed to change the internals -- you're stuck with what you get.
    Great!

    Here at the Discovery Institute, we've been doing some research into the age of the earth. Unfortunately, the current commercial analysis packages all give answers in the neighborhood of 4 billion years. With Sage, we should be able to tweak the code so as to give us a answer more in line with reason. Say about 6000 years.

  10. Re:another one bites the dust by Iron+Condor · · Score: 2, Funny

    Houston, we got a problem here

    "What is it Orion-3?"

    We're trying to decelerate for lunar orbital insertion but when we try to fire the thrusters, a little box pops up that says "Null pointer dereference at 0x00045fe3342a"

    "Wait, I'll check Sourceforge"

    ...

    "Nope, looks like that's a new one. I submitted it through Bugzilla and changed the priority to '9'..."

    --
    We're all born with nothing.
    If you die in debt, you're ahead.
  11. mod parent up by J_Omega · · Score: 2, Funny

    nt