In this chapter, we will introduce you to the tools you need in order to begin using MATLAB effectively. These include the following: some relevant information on computer platforms and software; installation protocols; how to launch MATLAB, enter commands and use online help; a roster of MATLAB's various windows; and finally, how to exit the program. We know you are anxious to get started using MATLAB, so we will keep this chapter brief. After you complete it, you can go immediately to Chapter 2 to find concrete and simple instructions for using MATLAB to do mathematics. We describe the MATLAB interface more elaborately in Chapter 3.

Platforms and Versions

It is likely that you will use MATLAB on a computer running Microsoft Windows or on some form of a UNIX operating system (such as Linux). Some previous versions of MATLAB (Releases 11 and 12) did not support Macintosh, but the most current versions (Releases 13 and 14) do. If you are using a Macintosh, you should find that our instructions for Windows will suffice for most of your needs. Like MATLAB 6 (Releases 12 and 13), and unlike earlier versions, MATLAB 7 (Release 14) looks virtually identical on these different platforms. For definitiveness, we shall assume that the reader is using a Windows computer. In those very few instances where our instructions must be tailored differently for Linux, UNIX, or Macintosh users, we shall point it out clearly.