Alan Riley replied to Richard Williams on behalf of StataCorp: We will in fact put out a final update to Stata 9, likely shortly after Stata 10 ships. However, this update will not include the ability to read Stata 10 files. As Nick pointed out, our solution for users who need to share datasets across versions is the -saveold- command.
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With respect, that is what I call the Microsoft attitude: we assume (know / instruct) that everyone will upgrade and willingly accept any changes that we've made. "Poor relations" who can't keep up will have to rely on "proper" users remembering to adapt their hand-me-downs.
It incidentally shields the "poor relation" from knowing what was lost when the file was converted to old format.
Since the code to read a new format file and to write an old format file must exist within Stata 10, what is the problem in adding a module "read Stata 10 file" to the last update of version 9? Or was the stuff I was taught about modular programming in the 1970s just hot air?
It's made me wonder whether the guy carving the Rosetta stone was muttering the whole time, "Why can't these old Egyptians just learn Greek?"
Allan
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