It's difficult to improve on the statement
of features at http://www.stata.com/info/whystata/
and elsewhere on the Stata Corp website.
Also, as a statistically minded person, you'll
know that a survey of opinions on this point
should include other user groups. For example,
discussion lists on S and R include various
sharp comments directed against Stata, some
of which come from people who do use it as
alternative to their favourite, just as this list
includes digs at SPSS, SAS etc. You have to
say what kind of user you are to get good advice
on what might be best for you.
My own very personal and partial summary
includes this:
1. Stata as a mix of provided commands
and a programming language gives an
excellent balance for researchers. This
isn't unique of course, and fans of other
software could make the same claim,
and correctly.
2. Stata's commitment to quality
control is higher than any other software
company I know about. Find one small
mistake or imperfection and they want
to know and will correct it as fast as
possible. In the short, middle and especially
long run this really counts. Perhaps that
should really be #1.
Nick
[email protected]
(P.S. I have some vested interests too,
as Executive Editor, Stata Journal.)
Can any one give me an idea why Stata should be
> preferred for
> analyzing all sort of survey data?
> What are its superiority to other available packages?
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