Re: st: one last question [Re: list in Stata 8]

[Buzz Burhans <wsb2@cornell.edu>]

IAt 12:56 PM 2/26/03 -0600, you wrote:
> Phil, Buzz, Nick and others:
>
> OK - OK - I respectfully admit I am in a small minority (of one?).  I just
> have one last question, then I'll be quiet about this topic:
>
> What percent of Stata Corp.'s resources were spent on the development of
> GUI, graphics, windowing, etc. for STata 8, as compared with the develpment
> of improved statistical modelling, estimation, etc.  routines? Same question
> regarding  SMCL in Stata 7.
>
> Al Feiveson


 I have no clue on this.

More importantly, it doesn't matter to me.

It doesn't matter because they deliver good value for my upgrade dollar, 
and I am confident that I have good tools, and Stata is one of my "good 
tools".  I spend some time (not enough) working in my woodshop, and I have 
spent a lot of time working with farmers who buy and use all manner of 
equipment. These experiences over the years have taught me that one of the 
keys to success in many endeavors is having the right good tools. Tools 
make a difference.  I recently bought a smoothing plane and paid the long 
dollar for it, could have gotten a much cheaper one.  If you could come 
into my shop, you would see that it makes a huge difference in the quality 
of my work. I suppose I could call up the company that makes them and 
complain that if they had used iron instead of  brass on the adjusting 
screw it would still work as well and would be cheaper...but that would be 
ridiculous.  They know what makes a good plane, and guess what... their 
plane works well in my hands, even though I am not a professional 
woodworker. And some of the specific features I'll never appreciate, 
because I am not a professional cabinetmaker...but I know that the quality 
of that tool makes a difference in my work.  So to it is with the quality 
of my computing tools.  I use Stata 8 because I have come to appreciate 
that good tools make a difference, and Stata 8 is a good tool. I wouldn't 
buy that smoothing plane if the adjusting knob was gold, and the price went 
up many fold, nor would I support Stata 8 if the investment was not based 
on the quality of the tool and the pricing commensurate with the value.

It (how Stata Corp allocated their resources for the last two upgrades) 
doesn't matter because with every update of any software package which is 
at all widely used, there are features that meet the needs of some, but not 
all users.  Stata Corp is in the best position to evaluate where the 
enhancement priorities are.  They do a good job of that, both in their 
private relationships with accomplished professionals, and in their 
attention to the dialogs on Statalist, and in the sessions that appear to 
be included in every users group meeting where  "wishes and grumbles" or 
something of that sort are discussed.  I am certain, even without a formal 
hypothesis test, that no large software company can provide exactly 
precisely what each and every individual user wants, and trying to do so 
would necessarily be impossible because enhancements for one are 
detractions for another.

They have a very harsh judge of whether they get this all right: the market.

Beyond that, without getting into the detail, they appear to have invested 
well in the features you mention above, at least in my opinion.  there are 
advantages of the GUI that MP and Nick and myself have spoken to in the 
last two days.  I doubt that any of us uses the GUI very extensively, but I 
and they also seem to, endorse it strongly as an asset to the program.  I 
can tell you that when you want to run an unfamiliar command and get all 
the options right, it is nice even for someone who usually operates from 
the command line, although it's greatest advantage may be for capturing 
stats newcomers and turning them into long term Stata users, which 
ultimately provides support for doing the improvements for statistical 
modeling etc.

The other area that I strongly believe they made a great investment in is 
the graphics, for reasons others have mentioned previously as well as some 
personal considerations. It was highly requested by many, though again, not 
all.  I will tell you that having worked with other programs with very 
strong in graphic capabilities, I have come to believe that graphics are 
often underappreciated in the business making sense of and evaluating ones 
data, as well as underappreciated relative to the ability to help others 
"see" what one "sees" .  I think, and the teacher in me thinks, that good 
quality graphics are good tools for understanding and transmitting that 
understanding.  Whether I now, or ever will, use all the power of the new 
Stata graphics is less important than that I know my tool supplier is 
working to substantively enhance the tool I use.. because Stata is as 
important to the quality of some of my work as the plane is to my 
woodworking. It makes a difference.

Do I blindly think they get it all right every time? no way!  But they are 
earnest in their pursuit of developing an excellent tool, and responsive to 
the users, and they deliver a good, effective tool for a great price. I 
have plenty of ideas that I'd like to see them implement, but making these 
tools is their business, and they are doing a fine job of moving that part 
ahead. I don't have the time or expertise to develop my own tools, so I'm 
pleased by what they do and will continue to support that effort, even 
though it it doesn't precisely match my personal priorities...Stata is a 
great tool, and at the end of the day Stata helps me make a difference, and 
stata 8 does that better than stata 7.

Buzz Burhans



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