Scilab Notes

Scilab is a free and open-source, cross-platform numerical computational package and a high-level, numerically oriented programming language. It can be used for signal processing, statistical analysis, image enhancement, fluid dynamics simulations, numerical optimization, and modeling, simulation of explicit and implicit dynamical systems and (if the corresponding toolbox is installed) symbolic manipulations.

Scilab is one of the two major open-source alternatives to MATLAB, the other one being GNU Octave. Scilab puts less emphasis on syntactic compatibility with MATLAB than Octave does, but it is similar enough that some authors suggest that it is easy to transfer skills between the two systems.

Scilab is not full but partial replacement of Matlab for young students who can not afford Matlab license.

This software is helpful to:

1. Economically weak students who want MATLAB and Simulink like experience and environment in their academic life without paying license fee.

2. Pre-university students being trained to understand in depth mathematics numerically.

3. Who wants to know how function are written by professional working in Software Industry. 

4. Engineers who wants to understand complex algorithm working behind the designing and fabrication software of 3D CAD, CAM and CNC machines.

This software helps in :

1. Understanding of algorithms.

2. Understanding complex theorems like SVD, Matrix Manipulation, Algorithm behind Calculus functions, ODEs etc.

3. Pre-school exposure of numerical software.

4. Easy and fast grasping of algebra, sets, matrix by matric level students.

Why should we use Scilab :

1. Free of cost.

2. It is free but not worthless.

3. Rich in functionality. Has Scicos backed XCOS simulator for simulation of designs ranging from Mathematics/Mechanical to Electrical/Electronics and Digital Signal Process etc.

4. Can write own functions/algorithm related to Science, Engineering and Mathematics.

5. Long term support and rich documentation.

6. Similar to MATLAB and Scilab has XCOS simulator that simulates designs as they are working in real environment.

7. Easy to switch propriatory software.

8. It is better to start from scratch rather than from modules.