On the specifics of -sxpose-:
Roy is right. I am equally easy whether he uses it or replaces it with
his own code. The decision is his and of no interest or importance to
me, but thanks very much for asking.
On the generality of "rules" for borrowing:
I am not recalcitrant -- definitely the wrong word here -- but just
sceptical, but who should care about that?
We've had a Stata community for 25 years and Statalist for 15 years.
During all that time we have had no detailed rules for borrowing beyond
those implicit in the "Acknowledgments" and "References" template of
many, many help files and some brief suggestions in the Statalist FAQ.
It seems to me that is quite enough for almost everybody. But again who
should care about that view of mine unless they think it is correct?
Roy, as said: You have an idea about something that should be done.
Please don't talk about it, just write it, post it, and let those agree
with your aim make suggestions, adopt it, whatever they want.
At the same time, why not write the alternative FAQ you said was needed
and that Marcelo invited you to write in 2007?
<http://www.stata.com/statalist/archive/2007-07/msg01013.html>
Nick
[email protected]
Roy Wada
Rules are there to simply things. If the rules had been specified,
then we would not be having this conversation regarding what is and is
not a proper way to make attribution. Indeed, had it been explicitly
listed, I am sure I would have "correctly" written the first help file
for the -mean2-.
I will tell you what, Nick. To compensate for the lack of rules, I
will write my own codes for transposing the data matrix. I think it
would have set a nice example on how to borrow codes from others, but
you seem recalcitrant to any notion of standarization that would have
helped facilitate it.
I am fairly certain you will not be offended if I present it as my own
work, since this is clearly motivated by a mundane need (data
transpose) and would be a natural improvement on the official -xpose-.
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