[BlindMath] Mathematica

Tue Jun 8 20:42:43 UTC 2021

Python is a good language, but there are many things that Mathematica, maple or matlab can do that python won't. For example, these programs can do a certain amount of algebra, give you derivatives and anti-derivatives of functions, allow you to calculate an integral by just entering a one-line command and obtain an analytical expression, and even do numerical integration with one line of code. Likewise, these programs can also manipulate matrices algebraically. Python, or any other programming language, while worth learning,  is no substitute for Mathematica or some other alternative to it. If you want to do physics or engineering, you're going to be at a disadvantage if you don't have one of these tools. You don't need all of them though. If you're able to get one of them working, then that's good enough for the most part, except when you have a cited collaborator who has a mathematica file they're trying to share.

Personally, I have been using maple and it works fairly well, at least on windows XP. Yes, I have a second computer running on Windows XP. I haven't tried it on Windows 10 though.  

As for mathematica, it's a shame that it has accessibility issues. A few years ago, Kyle Kean, who I believe is also on this list, was working with them and wrote a script that would allow entering the commands one wants to execute in a text file. You would then run that script and the output would be printed on to a separate text file. This was a way to bypass the fact that the mathematica interface is not screen reader accessible. I haven't used this for the last few years and have no idea if it still works on the latest versions. I hope it's possible to find out.

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindMath <blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jacob Torres via BlindMath
Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 7:29 AM
To: Rastislav Kish <rastislav.kish at protonmail.com>; Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Jacob Torres <jacob.torres1229 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [BlindMath] Mathematica

Hi all,
I totally agree with Rastislav here! Mind you, I've never used Mathematica, but I've been studying data science with Python for a while now, and it has become my best friend. I use the built-in NVDA Python interpreter as a simple calculator, which is 100% accessible obviously. But Python is extremely powerful in the realm of mathematical programming in general. You can gain a ton of utility by writing your own simple scripts (or even entire programs) to do exactly what you need them to do. Also, I use Desmos for graphing and matrix calculations, and that has worked really well.

Personally I don't like using software that is still refusing to update their user interface to serve people with disabilities.
Especially when, as Rastislav mentioned, their software is closed and for-profit, and they're unwilling or even hostile to customer feedback just because we're a small user base. I had a similar problem using Keil Uvision when I was learning assembly programming, as well as other software products. I try to go open-source as often as possible because I know that either someone is working on it and open to feedback, or I can work on it myself. Just my two cents there.

Best,
Jacob

On 6/8/21, Rastislav Kish via BlindMath <blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> I apologize, that was supposed to go to the list. :)
>
>
> Best regards
>
>
> Rastislav
>
>
> Dňa 8. 6. 2021 o 15:14 Rastislav Kish napísal(a):
>> Hey there,
>>
>> I have tried Mathematica some time ago, and it was completely 
>> inaccessible.
>>
>> I have asked the support if there was something I missed, but they 
>> have replied that the software is not made with screenreaders in 
>> mind, so unfortunately, it's not accessible.
>>
>>
>> Although, it may be worth noting, that the Wolfram kernel is a 
>> standalone command line program, which you can use just fine with the 
>> wolfram script syntax.
>>
>>
>> As for me, I'm personally not using either. I use Python for 
>> mathematical stuff, which can do far more than Mathematica, Matlab or 
>> any other isolated environment could ever imagine to do. Python is 
>> one of the biggest programming languages out there, has a strong 
>> support for mathematics and related sciences (tensorflow, numpy, 
>> sympy etc.)
>>
>> I use SageMath as well, which unifies various tools like Maxima or R 
>> under one, unified Python interface, so I have in my hands the full 
>> power of one of the most powerful languages as well as all the power 
>> of the most powerful mathematical tools out there.
>>
>> Everything open-source, without having to pay a single cent.
>>
>>
>> With equipment like this, I personally don't see a reason to use 
>> closed-source, proprietary commercial tools with limited abilities 
>> and mostly isolated environments, not even mentioning the prices 
>> under which they're sold.
>>
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>>
>> Rastislav
>>
>>
>> Dňa 7. 6. 2021 o 20:49 Eric Mandell via BlindMath napísal(a):
>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>> Is anyone successfully using Mathematica with a screen reader?
>>> Currently, I am using matlab with the "matlab -nojvm" flag which 
>>> works really well. Has anyone had similar success finding a method 
>>> for running Mathematica?
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Eric
>>>
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--
Jacob A. Torres
Data and Machine Learning Engineer
<jacob at jacobtorres.net>

Find me at: https://www.jacobtorres.net/
  github: https://github.com/jacob-torres/
  Twitter: https://twitter.com/jacobtorres29/

---
"It is impossible for a person to begin to learn what he thinks he already knows.”
    --Epictetus

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