ASCEND vs myPhysicsLab
ASCEND
ascend4.orgmyPhysicsLab
myphysicslab.comSide by side
| Figure | ASCEND | myPhysicsLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Physics Simulation Software | 8.2 (#23) | 8.8 (#4) |
| Authoring tools | Yes | Yes |
| Data export | Yes | Yes |
| Delivery mode | desktop | hybrid |
| Founded | 1978 | 2001 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| License | ASCEND is released under the General Public License. | The software is open source under the Apache 2.0 License, and its source code is available on GitHub. |
| Purpose | ASCEND solves systems of equations and is aimed at engineers and scientists. | myPhysicsLab provides interactive, real-time animated physics simulations that users can change by dragging objects and adjusting parameters. |
| Support | The site invites users to report bugs, contact the team, and contribute models and other work. | The author identifies himself as Erik Neumann and provides an email address on the home page; no support plan is listed there. |
Plans
In their own words
myPhysicsLab
myPhysicsLab is a free, open-source project with interactive physics simulations and JavaScript classes for building animated models. Simulations run in real time, and users can drag objects or change parameters such as gravity. Its library includes examples such as pendulums, springs, colliding blocks, roller coasters, billiards, and molecular models. Many simulation pages explain the mathematics behind the models. Users can customize simulations with EasyScript or JavaScript in a browser and text editor, then share a setup through a URL that embeds EasyScript. Numeric results can be retrieved through VarsHistory, JavaScript, or collision-data scripts. Downloadable versions can be used offline. The source code is available on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 License. The simulations do not specify measurement units, so values need to be used consistently within each model. Building from source requires TypeScript, esbuild, Perl, and GNU Make. The project began in 2001, and its maker is based in Seattle, Washington.