[OctDev] Question on performance, coding style and competitive software

[Przemek Klosowski]

   Users running a package on Matlab IMHO bring little to Octave
   development, as Octave is not involved anywhere. The benefit goes to
   the package, but it is up to the author to consider whether it
   outweighs the burden.

There is a significant second-order positive effect for Octave:
M/O-compatible packages get in the 'widely-used->rapidly-improving'
feedback loop, which then helps the Octave's loop.

Note how all successful languages have a wealth of libraries
('batteries included', i.e. a rich vertical application environment a
la CPAN, Beans, Python libs, PHP Pear)---it's a chicken and egg
situation, which Octave always leveraged through its other leading
product ties.