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| Now how did we end up here? |
Wolfram Mathematica Installation
I installed Mathematica on both on Mac and PC, it was a pretty heavy 2.5 GB download and when installation completed, one will end up with 7-8 GB of hard disk space occupied.
And THEN, there is this annoyance where the license can only be activated on 1 machine. Switching from my Windows desktop environment to my MacBookPro, and I got this popup requesting System Transfer for the license. This is a typical commercial app :(
Wolfram do feels like a Adobe Photoshop or Autodesk software (Maya, 3dsmax) or big bundled tools packaged. I still have to remind myself all the time that “Wolfram is a paid commercial app”. It brings back my nightmares a bit of having to deal with commercial apps.
No matter what, Python and Jupyter might be the BEST tools you are likely to have because they are open source and always available. People in general will not care much about this idea of commercial vs open source, but I do care a lot.
I have both love and hate relationship with commercial and open source package. We are the users of this machine, we need to care much.
Ideally, I wish Wolfram Mathematica is free (donation based) and installed on every personal computer like MacBookPro. Yes, cost will always be an issue to start with those ideal work environment (RasPi has Mathematica app and Kernel for free though, and we do have given access to Wolfram Cloud as free user with limitation).
Anyhow, I still find curiosity in Wolfram Language and Mathematica and what they really offer. Stephen Wolfram video and some Wolfram tutorials video out there have convinced me to look at Wolfram a little more seriously.
Actually Using It
Ok, I have only given 15 days free trial and try to get the most of it.
After a long time download and installation progress on my old MacBookPro and Windows system (over 3 hours), I can finally run Mathematica.
The version I am testing is Mathematica 10.4. I have started to be familiar with the Notebook environment by using Jupyter Notebook and online Wolfram Lab. The calculation processing and responsiveness of Wolfram Language in Mathematica Desktop app is a lot faster than the online Wolfram Cloud. This is what I expect!
Although, it still feels "slow" sometimes and when dealing with big data, it may freeze or crash too for unknown reason. I will have to make notes on this errors.
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| Loading Sound Style data... takes time and it needs Internet. |
In the positive side, indeed the interaction is a lot smoother especially when I use the Manipulate[] expression for interactive slider. And also when drawing and visualising data using ArrayPlot[], Plot[] and Graphics[]. I can imagine it must be such a joy when one knows Wolfram inside out and present demo for it.
I have to spend this 15 days exploring Mathematica as much as I can.
Wolfram Cloud Lab and Wolfram Mathematica app
Mathematica app is using Wolfram Language, that is actually used in Wolfram Cloud. They are all the same, with few differences that I cannot care much, probably just a way Wolfram Foundation packaged the product.
Basically the Wolfram Language itself is what I do care and how it can provide me tools to deal with data in such elegant and simple way.
The hundreds of pages of Wolfram Language books are still not fun until you sitdown and test it inside the app:
I am going through the Wolfram Lab exploration using Mathematica now...
Again, have to admit, the responsiveness of Desktop app is great. And knowing my Notebook can be saved offline.
I could highlight select a function / expression and press F1 and getting Help Documentation right away, with lots of examples. Wolfram Mathematica is indeed worth trying if you have time.
Kids these days, with privilege access to computer, Internet and Wolfram can really enjoy this "programmable encyclopedia". And it will bring them interest for sure.
When typing expression, user is also getting all kinds of additional options. Like when I type RGBColor[], I can quickly select color using the GUI.
There is also all kind of highlights and pointer when we are missing brackets or forgot to add required argument for certain Wolfram expressions.
Explore Wolfram Mathematica with cool demo is like a kid spending in a chocolate land. Man, I really wish I had this back in elementary school!
If you are Mathematicians and also love tinkering with Prorgramming, I think you will love Wolfram Mathematica and Language for sure. Check out this brilliant Mathematician Artist, Richard Southwell:
Below, I am typing degree symbol and since Wolfram Desktop comes with all sort of weird Mathematical symbol panel, this is quite easy to do.
Wolfram Mathematica seems to be able to access and open Wolfram Cloud file without issue, and this also makes me quite happy. Lots of "App Worth" doodling using Wolfram Language that people don't know it is already possible.
I could also easily access CUSTOM data, like my own photo below and use it in Wolfram.
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| FindFaces is like magic. |
Wolfram Language is probably the one Creative Coding language that people in general should have familiarize with on a very high level. A little bit lower level, will be Python, I guess. I think even Processing or ChucK requires alien syntax and logic that people in general will be afraid of.
Personally, I found a lot of nice thing about Wolfram Language. It's almost like magic to see people livecoding and using Wolfram Language as demo tool. Reading the Wolfram Language code is very easy, regardless the weird bracketing. I guess people can argue on that.
Mathematica / Wolfram Language is still an enclosed commercial app and not so convenient, although it has the free cloud version, until it actually has the offline Desktop version available (like the one in Raspi), or perhaps when it become open source like Python, and then Swift then it could be a more desirable tool that can be more popular across all kind of areas.
My personal usage so far is of course to be able to make use of data and actually have ability to represent data the way I like it to be in a fun creative way. Programming with Wolfram Language on the fly can be an everyday casual conversational thing. It sure can be fun like that.
Keep watching on the development of this language while exploring the same idea using Python + all its available Modules. Benefit both ways.
WOLFRAM MATHEMATICA to BLENDER
As a bonus, I decided to test random Curve Lines generator in Mathematica (it's in the Wolfram Lab Exploration example), and then export it out for rendering in Blender.
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| Export as X3D to get Curve objects output. |
Render it using Blender Cycles or Pixar Renderman if you will. Give it transparent Rose Gold color and glass material. You can always go fancier.
Anyhow... the fact that it is just a simple line of code in Mathematica (below), can output some brilliant random curves that you can render in Blender or print out as 3D objects, is pretty amazing.
SeedRandom[145];
Table[
Graphics3D[
{AbsoluteThickness[5],
BezierCurve[ RandomReal[1, {12, 3}] ]
}]
,10]
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