Update install instructions

[bryanwweber]

Update the installation instructions for several new packages via Conda, FreeBSD, and Fedora/Enterprise Linux.

Closes #154 Closes #131 Merges #157

[bryanwweber]

@yurivict @mefuller Can you please check this to make sure the instructions for your platforms are correct?

@decaluwe/@speth This is ready for review as part of the NSF annual report follow-up when you get a chance.

[yurivict]

For FreeBSD: this statement is incorrect:

A FreeBSD package is maintained by the Cantera community in the science port.

It should say

A FreeBSD port science/cantera and a package are available.

---

Note that the Matlab interface is not available from this port [...]

This option should be added instead of documenting that it is missing. I tried to use octave, but it complains:

ERROR: Path set for 'matlab_path' is not correct.
ERROR: Path was: '/usr/local'

due to these lines:

    if not (os.path.isdir(matPath) and
            os.path.isdir(pjoin(matPath, 'extern'))):
        print("""ERROR: Path set for 'matlab_path' is not correct.""")
        print("""ERROR: Path was: '%s'""" % matPath)
        sys.exit(1)

Why does it expect the path to be */extern ?

[bryanwweber]

@yurivict thank you for the comments! I'll update the text accordingly.

This option should be added instead of documenting that it is missing.\nI tried to use octave,

If you'd like to support this I'm happy to update the docs. In the absence of a package, we should document that it is missing. Note that MATLAB and Octave are not the same, especially for compiled C code as used for the Cantera interface. The MATLAB interface expects the MATLAB headers distributed by Mathworks, hence that check. If you'd like to add an Octave interface, that'd be an excellent feature!

[yurivict]

The MATLAB interface expects the MATLAB headers distributed by Mathworks, hence that check.

Is Octave missing support for some MATLAB features? What are these features? When I read about Octave vs. Matlab it said that they are functionally identical. I also know that another package, Dynare, links to Octave's headers fine.

[bryanwweber]

@yurivict well, at least one difference is how the header files are distributed 🤪 a quick Google search says that mex.h is also distributed by Octave, so it may be possible to do a 1-to-1 substitution. Feel free to remove that check and see if things work!

[yurivict]

See https://github.com/Cantera/cantera-website/issues/165

[mefuller]

@bryanwweber I submitted a PR for the branch that you are proposing to merge here with a couple updates for the Fedora and EL instructions. I hope I'm doing this the right/efficient way

[bryanwweber]

Thanks @mefuller that's perfect!

[bryanwweber]

Thanks @yurivict and @mefuller I've updated the text with your suggestions. @Cantera/committers this is ready for review again.

[bryanwweber]

@speth / @ischoegl / @decaluwe Can you take a look at this so we can merge it?