Any programmers here?

Arcade Fire · 13-09-2007, 15:20

For my work I quite often have to write 'quick and dirty' programs to find answers to questions that would take me too long to calculate by hand, and to which there's no existing program which does the job I need. Typically these take < 1 hour for me to write and debug, and I don't use them much after I've got the answer that I need from them.

I'm currently doing this in MATLAB, which is good in that it's easy to use, but bad in that the calculations that I need to do are getting slowly more complicated, and MATLAB is really slow. So I need to pick up another language.

I've used C before, and it seems powerful and fast, which is what I require. Before I delve into learning it, though, can anyone recommend any languages that are:

(a) Relatively easy to learn for someone with a little (but not much) programming knowledge,
(b) Have a syntax which is simple enough to write quick and dirty programs in not a great deal of time,
(c) Powerful enough to perform quite complicated mathematical calculations, and
(d) Fast.

Also, any tips on how to pick up the language would be a good idea - links to good books etc. Thanks!

Mark · 13-09-2007, 15:28

o/

I suspect that if it's mathematical calculations you're after, the package you're already using would be the best one for the job. The time taken to write the code in another language could easily outweigh the time taken to run the calculation the way you do it now.

Of course I don't know what types of calculation you're doing. C may well be able to do what you need.

To save you re-inventing the wheel though, Java or C# may have a better selection of maths library functions.

Daz · 13-09-2007, 15:30

Ruby is something I've been trying to dabble in. Highly portable and very forgiving when you're doing those quick and dirty scripts/apps.

Not sure if it will scale well in terms of uber mathematical calculations, but I'm sure a Google or two will tell you if it's feasible.

Mark · 13-09-2007, 15:32

Something I might try to learn someday. Either that or Perl, or both.

leowyatt · 13-09-2007, 15:32

I was going to suggest maybe trying Java, though my experience with Java ended around 6 years ago, the only programming I do now is in php, which is no good for what you need.

Plan on looking into Ruby myself well more ROR when I get some free time.

EDIT: Mark it has been suggested to wait for Perl 6 I think it is and not bother with Ruby

Arcade Fire · 13-09-2007, 15:37

I should also mention that because I'm not planning on staying in academia for longer than another 2/3 years, I'd like to learn languages which will be useful in the real world. This seems to push me in the direction of C++/C# and perhaps some Java/PHP/Perl. Does anyone have any thoughts as to how widespread those languages are, and which ones might conceivable lead on from each other? For example, it seems that if I learn to code in C then that should be a stepping stone on the road to coding in C++/C#. Is that true?

Daz · 13-09-2007, 15:40

From what I read rails is much better than perl at the moment in terms of speed, I've yet to see anything comparing perl 6 and Ruby but if it is better then it's definitely worth looking at. Perl's syntax and general language isn't as forgiving as Ruby, but it is better known, and there's a lot more out there to get/keep you going.

LeperousDust · 13-09-2007, 15:40

Not a big programmer myself, but i would have thought MATLAB would have been perfect for very complicated maths, i'm desperately trying to remember what we used in uni and it's really not coming to me. But there was a program which (like MATLAB) was designed for just writing out maths basically. Once you got to grips with the syntax it was as powerful and scalling as you needed it to be. Give me a while to get my brain in gear i'll find it. Unfortunately its hard to get hold of (well it was for me, but i naturally didn't want to pay, i wanted to practice not actually use it) but i think if you pay it's pretty easy

.

LeperousDust · 13-09-2007, 15:41

Oh just read the updates above, if you want it to be usefull in anything else in the world yeah choose something else

LeperousDust · 13-09-2007, 15:43

In case you care it was Maple

My memory seems pretty shoddy today

13-09-2007, 15:20	#1
Arcade Fire Nice weak cup of Earl Grey Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge Posts: 40	Any programmers here? For my work I quite often have to write 'quick and dirty' programs to find answers to questions that would take me too long to calculate by hand, and to which there's no existing program which does the job I need. Typically these take < 1 hour for me to write and debug, and I don't use them much after I've got the answer that I need from them. I'm currently doing this in MATLAB, which is good in that it's easy to use, but bad in that the calculations that I need to do are getting slowly more complicated, and MATLAB is really slow. So I need to pick up another language. I've used C before, and it seems powerful and fast, which is what I require. Before I delve into learning it, though, can anyone recommend any languages that are: (a) Relatively easy to learn for someone with a little (but not much) programming knowledge, (b) Have a syntax which is simple enough to write quick and dirty programs in not a great deal of time, (c) Powerful enough to perform quite complicated mathematical calculations, and (d) Fast. Also, any tips on how to pick up the language would be a good idea - links to good books etc. Thanks! __________________ Eschew obfuscation.

13-09-2007, 15:30	#3
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	Ruby is something I've been trying to dabble in. Highly portable and very forgiving when you're doing those quick and dirty scripts/apps. Not sure if it will scale well in terms of uber mathematical calculations, but I'm sure a Google or two will tell you if it's feasible. __________________ apt-get moo

13-09-2007, 15:32	#5
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	I was going to suggest maybe trying Java, though my experience with Java ended around 6 years ago, the only programming I do now is in php, which is no good for what you need. Plan on looking into Ruby myself well more ROR when I get some free time. EDIT: Mark it has been suggested to wait for Perl 6 I think it is and not bother with Ruby __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!"

13-09-2007, 15:37	#6
Arcade Fire Nice weak cup of Earl Grey Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge Posts: 40	I should also mention that because I'm not planning on staying in academia for longer than another 2/3 years, I'd like to learn languages which will be useful in the real world. This seems to push me in the direction of C++/C# and perhaps some Java/PHP/Perl. Does anyone have any thoughts as to how widespread those languages are, and which ones might conceivable lead on from each other? For example, it seems that if I learn to code in C then that should be a stepping stone on the road to coding in C++/C#. Is that true? __________________ Eschew obfuscation.

13-09-2007, 15:40	#7
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	From what I read rails is much better than perl at the moment in terms of speed, I've yet to see anything comparing perl 6 and Ruby but if it is better then it's definitely worth looking at. Perl's syntax and general language isn't as forgiving as Ruby, but it is better known, and there's a lot more out there to get/keep you going. __________________ apt-get moo

13-09-2007, 15:28	#2
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	o/ I suspect that if it's mathematical calculations you're after, the package you're already using would be the best one for the job. The time taken to write the code in another language could easily outweigh the time taken to run the calculation the way you do it now. Of course I don't know what types of calculation you're doing. C may well be able to do what you need. To save you re-inventing the wheel though, Java or C# may have a better selection of maths library functions.

13-09-2007, 15:40	#8
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Not a big programmer myself, but i would have thought MATLAB would have been perfect for very complicated maths, i'm desperately trying to remember what we used in uni and it's really not coming to me. But there was a program which (like MATLAB) was designed for just writing out maths basically. Once you got to grips with the syntax it was as powerful and scalling as you needed it to be. Give me a while to get my brain in gear i'll find it. Unfortunately its hard to get hold of (well it was for me, but i naturally didn't want to pay, i wanted to practice not actually use it) but i think if you pay it's pretty easy . __________________

13-09-2007, 15:41	#9
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Oh just read the updates above, if you want it to be usefull in anything else in the world yeah choose something else __________________

13-09-2007, 15:43	#10
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	In case you care it was Maple My memory seems pretty shoddy today __________________

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