Help me compile a physics software list

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around recommendations for physics software, with users sharing their favorite applications. Notable mentions include Physics 101 SE, Solve Elec, LabVIEW, Mathematica, MATLAB, Python, Origin, and LaTeX. The conversation highlights the importance of specifying the intended audience for software recommendations, as some users sought more affordable options suitable for students rather than high-priced professional software. There is a debate over the pricing of popular tools like Mathematica and MATLAB, which have student licenses available at lower costs. The thread also touches on the use of MathCad, with mixed opinions on its capabilities compared to other software. Overall, the discussion emphasizes the need for clarity in requests for software suggestions and the diversity of tools available for different user needs in the field of physics.
relativitydude
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I'm going to be creating a website and would like to post links to the best physics software titles. Anyone have any favorites?
 
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Some indespensible software titles that you should list, IMHO are:

LabVIEW - I real nice GUI program for the lab! Kind of pricey though.

Mathematica- Need I say more? OK, pricey.

MATLAB- Easy, big, and pricey but good.

Python-Because it's free, open source compiler with many goodies. Plus it was inspired by Monty Pyhton. This is the link to Sci-Py.

Origin- a nice program for data analysis and graphing.

C/C++ - Standard!

Fortran- Old but a sleek fast procedural program that won't clog up CPU resources plus Numerical Recipes for just about any mathematical operation you can think of! This one won't be going away any time soon, though I suspect python may give it some competition for numerical computations.

LaTeX-If your going to publish, you need this!
That's all I can think of at the moment. Hope that helps. Sorry I could not provide all links.
 
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Some places where I've extracted stuff :

http://www.engr.usask.ca/~macphed/finite/fe_resources/node12.html
http://www.netsci.org/Resources/Software/Modeling/QM/
http://www.accelrys.com/about/msi.html
http://www.femlab.com/
http://www.scd.ucar.edu/softlib/LAPACK.html
http://www.iavsc.org/
http://www.csc.fi/physics/mika/
http://gid.cimne.upc.es/index.html
http://www.nag.co.uk/numeric/numerical_libraries.asp
http://www.vni.com/products/imsl/
http://www.mesa3d.org/
http://www.csc.fi/elmer/index.phtml
http://gams.nist.gov/
 
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For crystallographers :

* Peak Fitting - XFit (by Coelho and Cheary)

* Autoindexing - Crysfire (by Robin Shirley)

* Space Group Assignment and Unit Cell Refinement - Chekcell (by Jean Laugier and Bernard Bochu)

* Rietveld Refinement - GSAS Gui (by Alan Larson & Bob Von Dreele, GUI by Brian Toby)

* Reciprocal Space Structure Solution - EXPO/Sirpow (by Carmelo Giacovazzo and the IRMEC Group at Bari, Italy)

* Line Profile Analysis - http://www.boulder.nist.gov/div853/balzar/breadth.htm (by Davor Balzar)

* Perovskite Structure Prediction - http://www.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/~mlufaso/spuds/ (by Mike Lufaso and Pat Woodward)
 
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Thanks for the links, guys but I was looking for more down to earth, student software. Especially like Physics 101 SE which is like $10, not the $5000 variety :P
 
relativitydude said:
Thanks for the links, guys but I was looking for more down to earth, student software. Especially like Physics 101 SE which is like $10, not the $5000 variety :P

I wish people would specify things to a greater detail when asking for responses. Some of us may have put in considerable time and effort in hunting out those links.

Sorry I'm posting this rant here; (this is hardly the first time this has happened) you just happened to be my last straw.
 
I thought it would be intuitively obvious, how many of us go out and get $5000 software titles?
 
relativitydude said:
I thought it would be intuitively obvious, how many of us go out and get $5000 software titles?

There are no $5000 software titles listed. Mathematica with a full, transferrable license is $3,000. Matlab and Maple are about the same or chaper. Mathematica, Matlab, and Maple all have student licenses available for $150 each. The student license typically last until you no longer are attending school.

Typically, if you go into any research field, whether that be Mathematics or Physics, you'll probably run into Mathematica, Matlab, and/or Maple. They are professional/educational products for professional/educational purposes.
 
  • #10
relativitydude said:
I thought it would be intuitively obvious, how many of us go out and get $5000 software titles?

It wasn't intuitively obvious what you wanted at all. You asked for software used by physicists, you didn't specify cheap software for students. There probably isn't much out there that's really cheap like what you're looking for.
 
  • #11
Gokul43201 said:
I wish people would specify things to a greater detail when asking for responses. Some of us may have put in considerable time and effort in hunting out those links.

Sorry I'm posting this rant here; (this is hardly the first time this has happened) you just happened to be my last straw.


Well I like the links.
 
  • #12
relativitydude said:
I thought it would be intuitively obvious, how many of us go out and get $5000 software titles?
None of the programs on my list cost $5000. They are mostly (if not all) free (open source) software. But also, none of them is a Physics 101 type of package.

I'm sorry that I started this unpleasantness here...I was just venting.:redface: I have no intention of derailing this thread. But please do keep in mind that it would be a lot nicer if you gave as much detail as possible when making a request.

Davorak said:
Well I like the links.
Thanks ! That's good enough for me ! :smile:

Now let's bury the hatchet and get this back on track, wot ?

Have you looked into the https://www.physicsforums.com/local_links.php ? There some 100 and 200-level lecture notes (under Classical or General Physics) and other neat resources there. And the homework help links are still under construction, so if you check back later, Tom may have put in a bunch of useful stuff there too.
 
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  • #13
graphic7 said:
There are no $5000 software titles listed. Mathematica with a full, transferrable license is $3,000. Matlab and Maple are about the same or chaper. Mathematica, Matlab, and Maple all have student licenses available for $150 each. The student license typically last until you no longer are attending school.

Typically, if you go into any research field, whether that be Mathematics or Physics, you'll probably run into Mathematica, Matlab, and/or Maple. They are professional/educational products for professional/educational purposes.

Great, so no-one uses MathCad? :frown:
 
  • #14
Nylex said:
Great, so no-one uses MathCad? :frown:

Many do and are very satisfied with it (and do really complex stuff with it)... personally I've found it nice overall, but IMHO there comes a point when Mathematica & Maple do sweep the floors with it :biggrin: .
 
  • #15
I'm of that opinon that all special software should have capability to be programmed. And be bound to C-program. I think you should check out sourceforge for libraries, which include physics related functionality.
 
  • #16
Okay, the actual program is a learning aide and not terribly advanced (ages 13-18), however, it comes with a pretty decent calculation surface that allows you to write out calculations as they would appear on paper (good for us non math types) and it's cheap $39.99.

http://www.learnatglobal.com/html/math_catalog_6.html
 
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  • #17
I find this one to be helpful when Gokul is being grouchy and I've broken his back with another last straw.
Gokul43201info
 
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