Where can I get a free data-collection and analysis software?

[Jarfi]

I am using Logger Pro 3 in my school, and I need a bit more skill and practice using it, also sometimes I need it for home-work. Any cheap/free alternatives you know of?

http://www.vernier.com/products/software/lp/

as can be seen in the link it costs 312$

 

[DrewD]

The analysis part is easy: Octave, R, Scipy, etc.

For data collection, that might be tough. I don't have any personal experience, but some searching led me to Alvin and OpenSesame, but both of those sound like they are not meant for physics experiments. I think that many of the companies that make sensors also make proprietary software. I might be wrong... I usually break things in the lab.

You could make friends with the CS department. Explain to them that you need software that does REAL things unlike the games they usually play. I'm sure they will understand and help you.

 

[russ_watters]

If the logger exports the raw data in a non-proprietary format, Excel is the only analysis software you really should need. If it is proprietary - and DrewD is right, they often are encoded in such a way as to require you to use their software even just to export to a .csv file - then you really have no choice but to use theirs.

 

[Khashishi]

Last time I used Octave, it felt kind of primitive. Scilab is better. Excel is inadequate for real analysis.

For data collection, you are going to need hardware, and that's going to cost you plenty, unless you build it yourself. You could check out Arduino and look for some low cost sensors to go with it.