st: re: seeking text that explains how to program

[Kit Baum <baum@bc.edu>]

Jacob said

Am I correct in believing that neither the Web nor the help files is  
a substitute for the hard-copy Stata manuals?


Yes. But I think when it comes down to it that even a full set of the  
Stata manuals will leave you wanting. As an example, if you work  
solely with the Stata manuals, you will have a hard time programming  
maximum likelihood evaluators. The book by Gould et al. is  
indispensable in that regard.

Another poster suggested taking the Stata net courses. An excellent  
suggestion.

Mention was made of my forthcoming "An introduction to Stata  
programming." I hope that this book will soon be available; the draft  
manuscript is in the copyediting stages. The book is designed to  
assist anyone who wants to use .do, .ado or Mata programming  
effectively. It expands upon the "..goes a long way" talk.

You might also, in the meanwhile, find my talk at last year's German  
SUG meeting, "Should you become a Stata programmer?" useful:
http://ideas.repec.org/p/boc/dsug07/00.html

Kit

Kit Baum, Boston College Economics and DIW Berlin
http://ideas.repec.org/e/pba1.html
An Introduction to Modern Econometrics Using Stata:
http://www.stata-press.com/books/imeus.html


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