On the main thread, I would underline how useful
different gray-scales can be. There is some discussion
on this within
SJ-5-4 gr0023 . . . . Stata tip 27: Classifying data points on scatter plots
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N. J. Cox
Q4/05 SJ 5(4):604--606 (no commands)
tips for using -separate-, gray-scale gradation, and text
characters as class symbols to classify data points on
a scatter plot
Nick
[email protected]
Jeph Herrin
>
> Perhaps we cold have different colours for different numbers
> so that larger numbers are greener and smaller numbers are
> redder? Then we could stop analyzing data altogether and just
> mix finger paints....
>
> Nick Cox wrote:
> > I didn't say StataCorp were right, although I usually think
> > that. And I suppose it's good news that some keen Stata users seem
> > to want to do everything in Stata. And if you used TeX, you
> > could invent your own grammar, except that we would not
> > let you publish it in the Stata Journal. Indeed, the people
> > at StataCorp correct my grammar, and it ain't so bad.
> >
> > While I am talking graphics, I will share a recent discovery
> > of what I consider dopey design. A recent introductory text has
> > some colour code for distinguishing left- and right-skewed
> > distributions. I am not sure I remember the details, because they
> > were so arbitrary, but the flavour runs something like this:
> >
> > 1. Left-skewed distributions are shown in green.
> >
> > 2. Right-skewed distributions are shown in purple.
> >
> > So, histograms, distribution curves, and so forth, are coloured
> > accordingly.
> >
> > This is extreme indirectness. Consider some poor student
> > taking a test on Statistics 100. Here is a graph. It is in green.
> > What does that mean? Is it left-skewed? Or right-skewed?
> > (Or, more likely, green means something special, but I
> > forget what....)
> >
> > Even if the whole world used this convention -- and clearly
> > that is an enormous if -- it still sounds dopey. Why not
> > just teach students how to tell the difference by looking
> > at the distribution? The colour codes are just a diversion!
> >
> > I remain astonished at the well-known statistician who
> > either invented this or was persuaded into it by his publisher.
> >
> > Not tarring anyone with this example, but it's too extraordinary
> > not to share.
> >
> > Nick
> > [email protected]
> >
> > Jeph Herrin
> >
> >> While I applaud the dedication of StataCorp to quality
> >> presentation, many of us have to work with publications
> >> that do not share this dedication. Just as I prefer Word
> >> to allow me my grammatical errors, Stata would be more
> >> valuable if it allowed me my errors of presentation. But
> >> for top tier medical journals I must routinely resort to
> >> Excel for those...
> >
> > Nick Cox wrote:
> >
> >>> Stata does not support stripes, whether straight, wavy, or of
> >>> some other kind; nor does it support stipples, spots, polka dots,
> >>> or other kinds of patterns. The good people at StataCorp
> read Edward
> >>> Tufte's books, and in particular his admonitions about Moire
> >>> vibration, and resolved not to do that.
> >>>
> >>> Please change your mail signature from "Stata List" as far
> >>> as communications with this list are concerned. This
> >>> may amuse you, or otherwise be congenial or convenient,
> >>> but I suggest that it is an inappropriate identity for
> >>> a member of Statalist. It is not compulsory, but it
> >>> is an almost universal habit on this list to use real
> >>> names and not hide identities.
> >>>
> >>> Nick
> >>> [email protected]
> >>>
> >>> Stata List (a.k.a. AC)
> >>>
> >>>> I've been using Stata's graph capabilities to make
> amazing coloured
> >>>> maps, with different colours for different indicators.
> >> However, since
> >>>> most printing is done on B&W printers, I would like to
> know how to
> >>>> specify patterns (say, 45 degree stripes, or spots, etc.)
> >> instead of
> >>>> only solid colours.
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