From: lachlan@dmp.csiro.au (Lachlan Cranswick)
Subject: Re: Scientific graphic for Windows ?
Keywords: Graphic
Organization: CSIRO Division of Mineral Products, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 14:02:57 GMT

rwh@moose.cccs.umn.edu (RICHARD HOFFBECK) writes:

>In article <1001@rc1.vub.ac.be>, tsornas@dec5.ulb.ac.be (Thierry Sornasse) writes:
>> Hi networkers,
>>  
>> Since 1989 I am looking for a good software to create scientific graphic. I mean
>> by scientific graphic line/scatter plot with complete control of both the Y and X
>> data, axis with log scale, axis with breaks, error bars ..... 

>I've been looking at Origin from MicroCal.  It seems fairly complete and it can
>do error bars out of the box which is a big deal around here.  The other
>package that gets used by the folks in BioStat is SigmaPlot.  They do some
>reasonably sophisticated plotting, and there is a Windows version of SigmaPlot
>due out Real Soon Now -- in fact, if you buy the DOS version, they'll give you
>the Windows version for free ;-).  I think both run around $500 US.

>     Origin: MicroCal Inc, (413)586-7720
>     SigmaPlot : Jandel, Inc, (415)453-6700

>> I am fed up by "Economic" graphic package tools like Excel or Lotus.

>As a former economist, we prefer to call them "MBA WorkToy" graphics packages. 
>Why worry about substance when you can have so many styles and pretty colors
>:-))

With Origin, you have to be a bit carefull as it does have
a few annoying bugs (I think 2.5 fixed most of them).  There is
also a 3D module for origin coming/come out??

I mainly use Origin only for Pseudo 3D "Waterfall Plots"
and do the rest of my graphing in SigmaPlot 5.0 for DOS.

I hope they do a good job porting SigmaPlot to Windows.

The thing I hate about Windows graphing software is that
it is very imprecise or hard to find those "tiny" defaults.
The Windows feel of a program dictates that you have to use
the mouse to size etc which makes things difficult when
you want to make several graphs the exact same size etc.

In Origin it can be very hard to find that little line
width (etc) defaults, as you have to click on it before
you can do something to it.  This can be very difficult
for small arrows, etc as you have to spend ages finding the
tiny point on the page in which the arrow will be selected.

SigmaPlot for DOS is no problem with finding how to
change those tiny things.  In the past it has been very stable
but recently I have had "VAP" errors and other annoying
things.  I haven't eliminated  the possibility
of an intermittent hard-dick fault
so it may be nothing to do with Sigma Plot.


I have a bad feeling that they may screw up the porting
of Sigma Plot to Windows.  Lotus Freelance is a classic
example of how a good DOS graphing/drawing program can be destroyed
in the porting to Windows.  It is now a nasty MS Powerpoint clone.

Ever since I got the money for Scientific Graphing Programs
I haven't used Freelance for DOS that much mainly as
it doesn't have error bars (Don't MS, Borland, Lotus know
of the concept of error bars).  It is amazing how
graphs can be totally transformed and data put into perspective
when the error bars go in.  Accountants and other yuppy
scum probably don't like the idea of giving an indication
of errors in their numbers.

Lachlan.
-- 
  Lachlan Cranswick  -  CSIRO             _--_|\  lachlan@dmp.CSIRO.AU
  Division of Mineral Products           /      \ tel +61 3 647 0367
  PO Box 124, Port Melbourne 3207        \_.--._/ fax +61 3 646 3223
  AUSTRALIA                                    v 
Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.apps