Nick is absolutely right that part of the problem is simply not seeing how
to do it in Stata. I know I'd use Stata more if I didn't simply have to
face learning how to do something in a new language when I could do it in
my sleep in SAS. Every time I spend time working in Stata I'm impressed
by how well it's put together but end up returning to SAS for data
management.
One example of something I couldn't see how to do in Stata: In SAS I
frequently use if ... then/else if ... then/else structures in the data
step. For example, in SAS I'd write:
if x=0 then y=1;
else if 1 < x < 10 then y=2;
else if 11 < x < 20 then y=3;
else y=.
I know I can write a series if...then statements in Stata, but writing a
structured statement that ends when the first true condition is met is
more efficient code, and I find I seem to have a hard time getting all the
conditions met correctly in Stata when the conditions get complicated.
On Wed, 27 Nov 2002, Nick Cox wrote:
> I think Stata's developers (and at least one user-programmer)
> would like to see specific suggestions of what
> is easier to do in SAS, to help influence
> the agenda.
>
> Sometimes -- but not always -- it turns out
> that the facilities exist; it is just not
> transparent how to use them.
>
> Nick
> [email protected]
>
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>
*
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