I am sure that I have mentioned Plot before (Free plotting program at http://plot.micw.eu/). Well, it sure makes shiny looking plots, but I have had trouble getting started with it from time to time. I almost abandoned using it for something with a larger user base like GNUPlot. For some reason, Plot does not have tons of documentation and I did not find a forum of users that discussed Plot (and I am afraid to email the developer). So, when I finally figure things out, I think I will post them.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention why this is a problem. The root of the problem is the name of the program - plot. How am I supposed to search for help on the program Plot? Not a good googlized name. He should have named it macplot or iplot or plott, or plot-o-lama-ding-dong. That would have been easier to search for. That is why I have explicitly included the website on this page. Oh, this is Plott 0.997 (the Mac OS plotting software). Hope that helps future searchers.
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Tags: graphing

I like numerical calculations. I think they are useful. But what should I use to create my calculations in? I am still not sure. Here are my options:

• VPython: I think this is the easiest for me to create things in. Python is uber-simple and the visual module has most of what I want. VPython 4 is currently in development and will run in Mac OS X without using X11 - so that is good. One bad thing about vpython is that it seems a little slower than java. I could be wrong about that though. The other big problem with vpython is the question of how to share simulations. It would be great if you could embed vpython in a webpage, but you can't. A user would have to download the code, install vpython and run it. This is ok if one is using it for courses, but not if you want a more general audience to look at it. Oh, vpython is free. One more thing, I feel comfortable creating stuff in vpython.
• Java. On its own, I probably wouldn't consider this. However, there is opensource physics. Opensource physics is a set of java "stuff" that allows you to create java calculations without doing all the crazy (programming) stuff. You still have to compile the programs, but it gets a lot of the difficult stuff out of the way. This stuff looks pretty powerful, but with great power comes a greater responsibility to do good, and I am just not sure I can do good. Really the problem is that java is pretty darn complicated compared to vpython. I can crank out some pretty simple stuff in vpython WAY quicker than in java. On the plus side, java is free AND you can make apps that can be run from the web, so a user would only need to have java installed - many do have this.
• Flash: Flash is pretty with its vector-based graphics. Also, I am told it can do many of the things java can do. But to tell you the truth, I really don't "get it". What Josh, what don't you get? So, its a robot that turns into a building? What's fun about that? I tried making a simple program, but there are too many new terms that just plain confuse me. Another problem is that this sucker is not free, nor cheap. I have a friend that is big into flash, he keeps telling me I can get into it fairly quickly. So the two big pluses are - it looks good, runs in web pages. But it is not free. If I get into flash and I want students to do flash stuff, they can't because they won't have it. Also, what is AIR? Is that free? I never figured out what air is.
• M.S. Excel. What? Are you kidding? This is a great tool for basic calculations and a great way to involve students, but I can't stand using spreadsheets for calculations. I hate highlighting cells and graphing and all that stuff. Yes, there are some great free spreadsheets, but for me I will not use them for this stuff.

So that is where I am. Stuck.

Tags: modeling, numerical , computer

I wrote a book. It is both good and bad. The problems with the book are that it is a customized publishing. That means that the publisher (Wiley) has nothing to do with the content, they just print it. In this case, this further means that there are many mistakes in the book (writing mistakes). The good part about the book is the general idea.
The book is titled "Workingman's Algebra" by D. McCarthy and R. Allain. It is available on Wiley's online bookstore and on Amazon:

• Amazon - Workingman's Algebra for $26.95
• Wiley - Workingman's Algebra for $26.95

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Google calculator - it rocks so much that I don't have a calculator. It also does a fairly good job at unit conversions, but there are some problems. Read More...

Tags: units

So, you are taking a college science course. Maybe it is physics, maybe it is chemistry, maybe its a lab. Either way, you always end up with these problems that involve unit conversions. You think you have the hang of it, but sometimes you make some mistakes. Here is my explanation for converting units. Read More...

Tags: units

I don't know who you are. I don't want to know. It has taken me all my life to figure out who I am, and I am tired. Do you hear me? Whoever you are, you might need to know something about vectors. What are they? What do you do with them? I will tell you in this short introduction (hopefully helpful). Really, this is just an introduction to adding vectors. Read More...

Tags: vector

Lots of people have problems with algebra. I see it all the time. Most of the problems can be fixed with ONE THING. Remember Curly (from City Slickers). What is that one thing? Curly would say you have to figure it out yourself, but I am not Curly. I am going to tell you the one thing.
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