[analog31]

Universities are still using Matlab. It's effectively "free" thanks to generous site licenses, and there's a lot of mature curriculum built up around it. The academics in my family (mostly physical sciences) would say "just use Matlab" and consider everything else to be unnecessary fuss.

Python installation is a headache in a classroom setting. Matlab provides an official installer that guarantees that every kid in the class has a working installation and the same user environment by the time the lesson starts.

It seems like Python and R have taken up residence in fields that had no prior loyalty to Matlab, such as biology.

What I've noticed is that where new graduates used to list Matlab on their resumes, now they list Python. In both cases, whether they can actually do anything useful with it or not. Many of those people didn't actually learn to program. Depending on what courses they took, exposure to Matlab or Python may have consisted of pasting some code written by the TA and running it. Students are not unaware that Python is associated with the job market for programmers -- a career "Plan B" that many are considering. At the same time, if someone can program in Matlab, they can learn Python in a jiffy, or vice versa, so it's not a life-or-death choice.

Whether they actually want to use Matlab or Python in their jobs probably depends on what industry they're in, and their interests. None of the traditional engineers in my workplace (mechanical, electrical) do any programming to speak of. Their CAD software does the engineering calculations that they need. For basic data manipulation, including graphing, they're happy with Excel.

[Max-Limelihood]

I think you should try out Julia, in that case. Julia installation and package management is extremely easy (MUCH easier than Python). The syntax is very similar to a cross between Matlab and Python, so it's easy to pick up if you're used to either of those--it's also a lot more readable than R. And it's way, way faster than either Python or Matlab.

[analog31]

I've been keeping an eye on Julia. Right now my entire work group is using Python, thanks to me introducing it at my site roughly 10 years ago. But I'd rather let "what comes after Python" happen on my own terms, rather than being blindsided by it.