How to Get MATLAB for Free

Can you tell me how to get MATLAB for free?

If someone shares a compiled Matlab application with you, you’ll at least get the Matlab compiler free as part of the application. Or you can install the Matlab compiler yourself to run other’s Matlab apps.

That’s like getting the Java Virtual Machine but not Java itself. That doesn’t really count as getting the whole math processing package.

You could sign up for a college class and get to use Matlab free as one of the students as long as you are in the math lab. You might even get a student edition of Matlab free with one of the text books.

The text books these days cost as much or more than the software.

If you want Matlab software to use for free, why don’t you work as an engineering intern and do all your math homework for free in between assignments?

I might consider that a free perk of the position except I might not have access to the software on the weekends I need to do the homework.

You could use FreeMat, and open source rival to Matlab.

Open source software tends to lack the tech support of major applications.

I know, Google Groups and user forums are often less than the paid for tech line, but sometimes you get the support you pay for.

Any other free options?

You could use Octave. It is free, and it is actually compatible with Matlab.

I heard you could get it off Cnet.

You might get it off the internet, too, but then you might not get a working version. Or punished for software piracy.

Is that better or worse than the people who download TV shows for free?

I’m not sure. Just go back to the college and buy an educational version at a discount.

Or ask a starving student for the disk plus book for a big discount.

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