http://www.macnn.com/articles/02/08/06/reader:.matlab/
Reader: MATLAB 6.5 has some caveats
updated 04:35 pm EDT, Tue August 6, 2002
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Mathworks has released MATLAB 6.5 with support for Mac OS X, notes a reader. "However, if you look at the FAQ, there are some caveats: The OS X version looks to be a (quick and dirty?) port from their Unix versions, and uses X Windows instead of Aqua for displaying figures. In fact, XDarwin and OroborOSX are explicitly part of the install. The screenshots also show some windows using OS 9-like interface widgets."
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2001
Not quite dirty
I've read some discussion on this and it's not quite a quick-n-dirty port. They've evidently put a fair amount of work and planning into it.
The bottom line is that they were absolutely not going to port it to MacOS 9 and one of the advantages of MacOS X is that is is based on UNIX, making such ports viable. It's too bad it uses X Windows, but that's what a UNIX application is going to use.
Maybe if sales take off, they'll go through painful process of converting from X Windows to Aqua. I hear OroborOSX helps an X application to act much more Aqua-like than without, if that's any consolation.
On at least one email list I'm on, the arrival of a current version of Matlab is like the Second Coming. It's definitely the gold standard app, without which the Mac is a non-player in many scientific locations.