Page 110 - A Guide to MATLAB for Beginners and Experienced Users

Chapter 6

M-Books

MATLAB is exceptionally strong in linear algebra, numerical methods, and
graphical interpretation of data. It is easily programmed and relatively easy
to learn to use. As suchit has proven invaluable to engineers and scientists
who are working on problems that rely on scientific techniques and methods at
which MATLAB excels. Very often the individuals and groups that so employ
MATLAB are primarily interested in the numbers and graphs that emerge
from MATLAB commands, processes, and programs. Therefore, it is enough
for them to work in a MATLAB Command Window, from which they can eas-
ily print or export their desired output. At most, the production technique
described in Chapter 3 involving diary files is sufficient for their presentation
needs.
However, other practitioners of mathematical software find themselves with
two additional requirements. They need a mathematical software package em-
bedded in an interactive environment — one in which the output is not nec-
essarily “linear”, that is, one that they can manipulate and massage without
regard to chronology or geographical location. Second, they need a higher-level
presentation mode, which affords graphics integrated with text, with different
formats for input and output, and one that can communicate effortlessly with
other software applications. Some of MATLAB’s competitors have focused on
such needs in designing the interfaces (or front ends) behind which their math-
ematical software runs. MATLAB has decided to concentrate on the software
rather than the interface — and for the reasons and purposes outlined above,
that is clearly a wise decision. But for academic users (both faculty and espe-
cially students), for authors, and even for applied scientists who want to use
MATLAB to generate slick presentations, the interface demands can become
very important. For them, MATLAB has provided the M-book interface, which
we describe in this chapter.

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