I would actually say Python's matrix manipulation syntax is better, but Matlab's matrix literal syntax is much nicer and more minimal.
Having made hundreds/thousands of plots in each, I think Matplotlib's plotting is a bit better than Matlab's, especially for complex plots where you need control and have subfigures, etc. Matlab's 3D plots are better than Matplotlib's (which are fake-3D), but for sophisticated 3D visualisation Python has powerful options like VTK that Matlab can't really match.
In my experience matplotlib has surpassed MATLAB's plotting functions for most use cases. It's just so much more powerful.
> how much better MATLAB is at plotting than Python or Octave (or Julia).
To make sure I’m understanding you correctly, you’re saying Matlab is much better at plotting than Octave? I’ve only ever used the latter, so I guess that would be one reason to consider switching to the former.
Last time I tried a few years ago, Octave couldn't hold a candle to Matlab's plotting functions. It's a different league.
Interesting. My experience has been the exact opposite. The quality of matlab's plots paled compared to that of Octave's.
Didn't really notice any major difference in quality... I was talking ease-of-use and richness of options.
What quality differences do you refer to?
MATLAB had another significant advantage over Python. Its plotting support is really really really good. Given how much time scientists spend making graphs it's hard to understate how important that is, or how much better MATLAB is at plotting than Python or Octave (or Julia).