Technical computing software expanded

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 2, 2007

Mathematica 6 is more tightly bound, more natural, and more automated than previous versions of the technical computing system, as well as applicable to a far wider range of areas.

Wolfram Research's Mathematica 6 is, in many respects, a completely new product, one with several hundred groundbreaking technologies developed over more than a decade.

"In compatibility terms, Mathematica 6 is an upgrade".

"In capability terms, this is a major new product", said CEO Stephen Wolfram.

"Mathematica's been reinvented".

Mathematica 6 takes technical computing to a new level: more tightly bound, more natural, and more automated, applicable to a far wider range of areas than ever before.

Central to this achievement is "instant interactivity"-taking models, simulations or computations and turning them into fully interactive applications, sometimes within seconds.

"In 1988, Mathematica transformed scientific computing from something you hire a programmer to do into something you can just do yourself".

"In 2007, we are doing the same for live interactive interface creation", said Theodoure Gray, Director of User Interface Technology.

"No other system comes close to providing this kind of nimble, fluid environment for creating dynamic interactive interfaces, which, because of the underlying power of Mathematica, often turn out to have astonishing depth and variety".

Over 1000 examples of these interactive capabilities have already been posted to The Wolfram Demonstrations Project.

The integrated development environment (IDE), allied to Mathematica's programming language and computational capabilities makes it ideal for infrastructure development.

"It's a facet of Mathematica 6 that it's so appropriate at all scales: from one-off mini-applications through large-scale infrastructure projects", said Tom Wickham-Jones, Director of Kernel Technology.

"Whenever you think of doing technical development, think of Mathematica 6".

"These days, the main hurdle to using Mathematica in technical work is thinking of using it".

"Its scope is wider than almost anyone imagines", added Conrad Wolfram, Director of Strategic And International Development.

Nearly a thousand new computational and interface features enhance Mathematica 6's approach.

"Several of these would individually classify Version 6 as a major release, and some broaden Mathematica to encompass the capabilities of whole competing products".

"We've built the highest base of functionality consistently across all technical areas--quite a different concept than our competitors'", said Roger Germundsson, Director of Research And Development.

"They make spikes of specialist functionality which might work if your needs sit on a spike, but miss completely if you have to do something just a little different, new, or innovative".

"We thought about renaming Mathematica altogether", said Stephen Wolfram.

"It's that new".

"But we decided instead to highlight the ongoing importance of its original symbolic architecture by just calling it Mathematica 6".

Mathematica 6 is available for Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X, Linux x86/Itanium, Solaris UltraSPARC/x86, HP-UX, IBM AIX, and compatible systems.