undefined | Better HN

story

0 pointsimoverclocked3y ago0 comments

I agree in spirit but not in practice.

I used to think everybody using Matlab thinks like a programmer. The problem is that many people who use Matlab are something else first. Matlab is just the tool available to them that has a very specific set of functionality and a GUI to make it somewhat accessible. Octave is a great piece of software but I stopped championing for others after knowing enough scientists that just want to use a library for a minute that only works in Matlab because of some quirk or special function that doesn't exist in Octave.

Another reason this doesn't quite work in practice is the interview. Imagine, potential employer asks if you have ever used Matlab. Two potential responses here: 1) No, I've used octave though. 2) Yes.

Both are good answers but, convince me the typical employer wants to hear 1 over 2.

0 comments

defrost3y ago

> many people who use Matlab are something else first.

Pretty much, they're lab techs, engineers, physicists, etc. who gather and work with data as a primary role more so than programmers.

> convince me the typical employer wants to hear 1 over 2.

I can't, typically they're indifferent and they'll even take someone who has worked mainly with R.

In my own experience a typical employer who asks about Matlab is seeking numerically competant employees to work with data, to create and look at plots and graphs, to run simulations, etc.

They're typically more concerned with a prospects potential to do the role than they are with the specific tools used in the past, and will generally ask if prospects think they can work with in house tools or about the cost of bring tools the prospect wants to use in house.

__MatrixMan__3y ago

I'm not sure I care what the typical employer wants to hear. If it's a taxpayer funded education then it's more about what society gets out of it. I can't speak for everybody, but I think what society wants is people who can solve problems whether or not they've been blessed by some third party with a license.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse