Mathematica
Mathematica is an analytical mathematics program accessible by students and faculty from the Euclid server.
What the hell is Mathematica?[edit]
Good fucking question. Mathematica is this gigantic calculator program that can do every mathematical task you give it, which I'm sure is nice for the one kid at this fucking school taking Linear Topography 387, but for all of the other people who have to take calculus if they want to be an Econ major, it is the scourge of SMC. It causes ulcers and migraines, and no one ever tells you about it before you get here. I mean, a little forewarning would have been nice. All throughout high school my teachers kept telling me that I needed to get a graphing calculator. When college rolled around, I figured I'd put down the cash and invest in a TI-83, only to be told once I got here that I had wasted a million dollars on something that I would only use to calculate my test scores.
The math professors wanted me to "get the feel" of Mathematica. Guess what? Mathematica is a program that can only be accessed on school computers or on your own machine while it's connected to the school network. That is just the cherry on top of the pile of disincentives I have against doing my math homework. Leibniz did not use Mathematica, and that dude invented calculus. On the other hand, Newton probably would have used Mathematica frequently to feign an understanding of Maclaurin polynomials and iterated integrals, when he actually couldn't be bothered learning the theories behind it all because he was too busy humping an apple tree.
Known experts on Mathematica[edit]
Dennis Schneider basically wrote the book. Actually, he DID write the book for the Fall 2009 Calc III class, even though it was taught by Andrew Leahy. But seriously, Schneider is the go-to man. Even other profs will boot you over to him if you ask dumb/complicated questions. Well, half the time.
Any Mathematics majors.
Some Physics majors. Really, if you're using Mathematica for a legitimate reason, you'll know someone. Not that there's a great illegitimate reason to use it...
