MATLAB vs WebFOCUS

MATLAB is a computing and programming tool that combines the power of functions and algorithms with data integration, modeling and visualization for predictive business data analysis. Users perform complex computations on data sets that the platform ingests from a multitude of data sources to glean business-specific metrics. Citing online communities, all users who reviewed support said that the tool is accessible to beginners, while providing enough depth for advanced users, though some said that the coding syntax could be daunting for non-technical users initially. Around 92% of users who reviewed its analytical capabilities said that the platform provides a wide range of built-in packages to provide out-of-the-box data analysis solutions. With its minimal scripting, many users who discussed data processing said that they could simulate complex mathematical functions to visualize complex data models. Reviewing its functionality, many users said that its rich library and design makes it possible to write powerful programs easily. A majority of users who discussed its performance said that the platform consumes a lot of power and space and slows down when performing complex computations, possibly because updates, though frequent, do not include optimization for older features. Many users who reviewed the cost said that individual user licenses are expensive, and buying additional libraries adds to the cost since many of these have interlinking dependencies, though some users said that the platform provides value for money. In summary, MATLAB is a programming solution that leverages machine learning for data collection and complex computations for users to create data models and visualize enterprise metrics for predictive analysis.

WebFOCUS offers a feature-rich business intelligence data and analytics platform that unlocks actionable insights and the power of decision-making for users throughout an organization. Rated highly for ease of use by most reviewers, it empowers self-service data discovery with a user-friendly UI that enables drag-and-drop data analysis and visualization; some users noted that this UI looks outdated, especially compared to those of competitors. The platform offers a wide range of prebuilt data visualizations that users can further customize if necessary. This platform excels at creating and designing reports, then distributing them either at-will or through the automated scheduling tool, as noted by a majority of users who reviewed reporting. Most notably, the platform has an outstanding support team - all of the users who reviewed its support expressed satisfaction with their proactive, responsive assistance, citing the vendor’s dedication to the success of their customers as notably apparent. Customers can tailor the platform to their needs, as its flexibility allows for customized solutions. Frequent updates add value over time, though some users remarked that these sometimes break features from older versions. Other performance issues noted in reviews include lags when performing complex queries, infrequent crashes, slow load times and issues when accessing the platform from specific devices or browsers. While easy to pick up and use, especially for the end-user, some reviewers said that there is a learning curve to master the many features of this tool — a few users noted that this learning curve lasted a few months for some team members in their organizations. Overall, WebFOCUS is a worthy pick for self-service data visualization and reporting, especially in the hands of an organization willing to invest the resources and time to make it shine.