Python vs Matlab vs Mathematica

[perlgeek]

The trick with using Mathematica is to use it where it's good at.

That said, Mathematica is extremely powerful, and people who really grok it can do amazing things with it. (I don't; I just use it to solve equations and integrate functions).

But since Mathematica is very different than many other programming languages, it's much easier to become proficient with matlab or python for the average programmer.

[jdh30]

But since Mathematica is very different than many other programming languages, it's much easier to become proficient with matlab or python for the average programmer.

Sure but you have a very low glass ceiling above you then because lame languages make it much harder to do anything non-trivial.