It's one of those languages that outgrew its original purpose, as did Python IMHO. So non-matrix operations like string processing and manipulation of data structures like tables (surprisingly, graphs are not bad) become unwieldy in MATLAB - much like Python's syntax becomes unwieldy in array calculations, as illustrated in the original post.
An understated advantage of Julia over MATLAB is the use of brackets over parentheses for array slicing, which improves readability even further.
The most cogent argument for the use of parentheses for array slicing (which derives from Fortran, another language that I love) is that it can be thought of as a lookup table, but in practice it's useful to immediately identify if you are calling a function or slicing an array.
Indeed, there are many high-quality alternatives (sometimes described as "MATLAB clones" back in the day) that never gained bigger traction.
Among modern alternatives that don't strictly follow MATLAB syntax, Julia has the biggest mindshare now?
GNU Octave, as a superset of the MATLAB language, was (is) most capable of running existing MATLAB code. While Octave implemented some solvers better than MATLAB, the former just could not replicate a large enough portion of the latter's functionality that many scientists/engineers were unable to fully commit to it. I wonder whether runmat.org would run up against this same problem.
The other killer app of MATLAB is Simulink, which to my knowledge is not replicated in any other open source ecosystem.
The move to USB-C is actually great for compatibility across machines. Europe has a directive for companies to implement USB-C to reduce e-waste from chargers.
This. Biggest benefit of USB-C on Laptops to me is not the charger, but the docking station. I have used my 2019 Dell USB-C Dockingstation on various Macbooks AND my MacMini. Plus, modern Monitors are basically USB-C Hubs/Docks and universally compatible with each Laptop. I remember 10-15 years ago when every manufacturer had its own, proprietary dock solution.
At the cost of soldering new usb ports every couple of years (a couple hundred from a local tech) because they are extremely fragile. Fine for phones, I hate it on my laptop.
On top of that, the gan chargers are made as small as possible and overheat all the time. Modern, sleek, enshitified - just like our software!
Never had either of these problems across phones or laptops. What kind of GaN charger are you using that has problems with overheating?
And even in that case, USB-C chargers and cables are available everywhere, unlike proprietary laptop chargers, If the ports are dying on you though, I don't know what to tell you. They seem fine on phones, so I can't see what the problem would be on laptops, unless there are specific models that just have horrible ports.
Dell, they are not wonderful. I have one on a book because it can't sit on the carpet. The other one overheats no matter what, and I have to unplug it for a couple minutes every few hours or it angrily flashes at me and stops charging.
usb chargers and devices have many different voltages and power, and they don't always work very well together. It helps to have one format, but it doesn't mean no charger bloat. Cables are even worse, with wildly different specs, all looking exactly the same. They should require colored shapes or something on the cables to indicate their properties.
Sounds like Dells chargers are garbage. Yet another reason to stay away from Dell in that case. Never had this issue with any charger in my life.
Everything USB should still take normal 5 volts, which any charger should provide without needing negotiation, and anything larger that actually needs more juice also should have the appropriate electronics to handle that (i.e. it's a phone or a laptop or a tablet or similarly expensive device). If you have devices that don't fall into either of those categories, so they don't take normal 5 volts, or they need more juice but are picky about USB, I'd consider them faulty from the get-go, as it's clear they haven't actually implemented USB-PD in any meaningful way. And if your charger doesn't provide 5 volts without asking, it too is faulty.
It's hard to go wrong with charging cables when it comes to USB-C. I agree there's a mess on the data side, but the USB Forum can't even get its head straight with what it should even be called, so it's no wonder nobody there has the balls to mandate colour coding or something similarly helpful.
In this context I am talking about laptops and chargers, which are far less interchangeable. Phones are generally easy, but I would not trust my crappy dell charger to charge my phone without damaging it. What is the saying? In theory, theory and practice are the same, in practice, they are not.
That's Dell making chargers that are as good as their laptops, rather than chargers in general not working fine with any random device. The fact that your product is defective doesn't mean that the entire category its a part of shares it attributes.
1. I have kids and they don't know how to deal with them well. They are not at all aggressive, just a very slightly clumsy as kids tend to be - and the tech is unforgiving. They are human beings and the tech should work for them too.
2. I have a usb-c right here, and the weight of the cable is absolutely distorting the port. It will need to be replaced soon just based on its own self-damage. The cable is not even that heavy. I see all kinds of used devices advertised with the caveat - one usb-c not working. It is very common.
I don't have kids, I'm not that careful with devices myself, and we have had instances of (for instance) laptops that have fallen off a table with usb c chargers plugged in, landing on the cable end, and not breaking the port.
I did break multiple micro-USB ports though, as did ham-fisted family members. USB C made that all go away.
I have friends with kids (with tech) who don't seem to have a ton of broken devices either. Clearly we have very different experiences.
I've got an M1 Macbook Pro for the last 2 years and plug and unplug the USB-C ports multiple times a day for charging and other stuff. Those ports are all still going strong.
It's worth considering what nextgen really would be, but probably VSCode and its forks will dominate for the time being. I recall Steve Yegge predicting that the next IDE to beat be the web browser, and this was around 2008 or so. It's not the reality, but took about 10-15 years for it to actually happen, even though there were earlier shots at it by like Atom.
