> Hello Statalisters.
> I wish to ask something: in case that I can't buy the upgrade
> to Stata 8,
> which is the politic that STATA will take about the users
> like me? Can we
> have updates on ados, and updates in executables, etc. for STATA 7? Or
> definitevely we will need to migrate to STATA 8 ?. My best
> wish is to know
> the new capabilities of the new tool for graphics, but by the
> moment I can't
> have it.
> It's just a question of general knowdlege.
>
> Thanks
My understanding is that Stata continues to support the prior version of
stata (Stata 7 in this case), in the sense that they will answer
technical support questions and the like.
They do not release updates--to the executable and to official ado
files--for old versions of Stata. Official updates do two things: fix
bugs with the current version, and add nifty new features to the current
version. Most version 7 bugs should be stomped by now; and StataCorp
has an obvious and reasonable financial incentive not to continue adding
features to an old version of Stata once the new version is available.
User-written ado files vary a bit more--some new ones are written for
the old version for a while after the new version comes out, until
programmers find features in the new version they want to include and/or
become comfortable with programming features only available in the new
version.
My guess is that no new graphics programs will be written for Stata 7,
given the cool (if slow) new graphics in Stata 8.
So basically it is up to you--can you do without the new stuff in Stata
8? (I believe there is a way to get a short-term trial licence for
Stata 8, in order to try out the features before you purchase.)
--Nick Winter
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