Comments on: Alpha bravo http://bit-player.org/2009/alpha-bravo An amateur's outlook on computation and mathematics. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:25:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Daniel Asimov http://bit-player.org/2009/alpha-bravo#comment-2148 Daniel Asimov Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:21:23 +0000 http://bit-player.org/?p=369#comment-2148 This column might be more than infinitesimally useful to read if only it bothered to describe to the reader what Wolfram Alpha *is*. But it doesn't, and so it isn't. This column might be more than infinitesimally useful to read if only it bothered to describe to the reader what Wolfram Alpha *is*.

But it doesn’t, and so it isn’t.

]]> By: Jim Ward http://bit-player.org/2009/alpha-bravo#comment-2146 Jim Ward Wed, 27 May 2009 13:52:23 +0000 http://bit-player.org/?p=369#comment-2146 I am wondering how it will change math learning. Why learn a formula or an integral when WA will find it for you? I am wondering how it will change math learning. Why learn a formula or an integral when WA will find it for you?

]]> By: Mark Myatt http://bit-player.org/2009/alpha-bravo#comment-2145 Mark Myatt Fri, 22 May 2009 12:31:24 +0000 http://bit-player.org/?p=369#comment-2145 Some nitpicking gripes ... The syntax seems very fussy. It would be good to have a guide on the site (perhaps I missed it). Some of the computations available appear to be limited to specific domains but this may be because I do not know how to call them. Some of the data sources are limited (e.g. the growth charts are CDC2000 and these are not used much outside of the US). There appears to be no ability to nest queries. For example "linear fit {log(GDP Africa), log(population Africa)}" does nothing useful. Having got those of my chest, I also wish to applaud this effort. Some nitpicking gripes … The syntax seems very fussy. It would be good to have a guide on the site (perhaps I missed it). Some of the computations available appear to be limited to specific domains but this may be because I do not know how to call them. Some of the data sources are limited (e.g. the growth charts are CDC2000 and these are not used much outside of the US). There appears to be no ability to nest queries. For example “linear fit {log(GDP Africa), log(population Africa)}” does nothing useful. Having got those of my chest, I also wish to applaud this effort.

]]> By: Visitor http://bit-player.org/2009/alpha-bravo#comment-2144 Visitor Thu, 21 May 2009 17:55:59 +0000 http://bit-player.org/?p=369#comment-2144 Alpha is more than just a web interface to Mathematica. It does have some search engine properties. At first, I was a bit skeptical, and I must concede that the syntax is extremely finicky and takes a while to get used to. But after playing with it for 30 minutes or so, I marveled at the engine's ability to aggregate data and compare various sources. And this in many different area. As a teacher always scouring Wikipedia for real data to throw into my math, W|A is my new stop. Alpha is more than just a web interface to Mathematica. It does have some search engine properties. At first, I was a bit skeptical, and I must concede that the syntax is extremely finicky and takes a while to get used to. But after playing with it for 30 minutes or so, I marveled at the engine’s ability to aggregate data and compare various sources. And this in many different area. As a teacher always scouring Wikipedia for real data to throw into my math, W|A is my new stop.

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