Xref: utzoo comp.sys.amiga:59794 comp.sys.amiga.tech:12779
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!uwm.edu!bionet!ames!uhccux!munnari.oz.au!murdu!ucsvc!wehi!baxter_a
From: BAXTER_A@wehi.dn.mu.oz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga,comp.sys.amiga.tech
Subject: SURVEY RESULTS: Data Plotting on Amiga
Message-ID: <9051@wehi.dn.mu.oz>
Date: 15 Jun 90 09:27:39 GMT
Organization: Walter & Eliza Hall Institute
Lines: 69

EMAIL SURVEY: Data Plotting on the Amiga

People with a use for a data plotting program were asked to reply.
The name of any currently used program was requested.

Number of responses: 27 (including one department)

Programs used (number of responses):

		Multiplot 		6
		Own Program		3
		PlPlot/ListPlot		2
		MatLab			1
		PageStream		1
		Draw2000		1
		DataPlot		1

People who have given up plotting on the Amiga: 6

Where they went:

		Mainframe (unspec)	2
		PC			2
		Unix			1
		Mac			1

People actively working on graph plotting programs:  3
	One person is porting GNUPlot, one was, but gave up.
	The others are working on independantly derived code.

Features requested:

	High res output		    5
	Integration/diff equns	    3
	Log/semi-log plots	    3
	Error bars		    3
	Free/nearly free	    3
	Histograms		    2
	ARexx interface		    2
	Interactive labelling	    2
	Plot functions & data	    1
	3D scatter graphs	    1
	Multiple graph types   	    1
	Polar plots		    1
	Handle e notation           1
	On screen data manipn       1
	Colour points by 3rd param  1

Comments:

That seems like a fair number of respondents and I am aware of others
who are interested but did not respond. I still suspect there is not 
a commercially viable market for a graph plotting program on the Amiga
because:
	Few people plot graphs
	Those that do have access to other machines to do it.
	Those that do tend to be poor (ie students).

Another problem for a commercial publisher would be the badly fragmented
market. While a few people would be happy with rudimentary features
(like Cricket graph), many people wanted aesoteric features without any
insight into the unlikelihood of their being well used.

Qustions/comments about Multiplot will be answered in a separate posting
or by email.

Hope this was of interest,

Regards Alan