Re: st: View source code of mata function from library mataado

[Nick Cox <njcoxstata@gmail.com>]

Here is another reason: Although the name of a Mata function may be
visible to you if in turn that function calls undocumented functions
or other code, then StataCorp would (I guess) keep quiet about that.
Nick
njcoxstata@gmail.com


On 26 November 2013 18:08, Nick Cox <njcoxstata@gmail.com> wrote:
> Clearly if Mata code is also available as source code  then not being
> able to understand the object code is immaterial.
>
> The rest is much easier to understand than you imply.
>
> 1. StataCorp is in business and chooses to keep all of its C code
> secret as a matter of protecting its most vital asset.
>
> This is a matter not only of considering other businesses in
> competition with StataCorp but also of considering anybody who might
> want to borrow or steal code for their own purposes, e.g. to release
> Rata as a free clone of Stata.
>
> This extends also to some of StataCorp's Mata code. Quite where the
> company draws the line is no doubt a delicate question but it could
> easily include any code that involves anything clever that the company
> does not want to see  exposed. There could be more mundane reasons
> e.g. code that is not documented well or is too complicated for users
> to understand without detailed explanation or that users would ask
> questions about that StataCorp does not want to answer.
>
> 2. As far as user-programmers are concerned, the decisions are in
> detail different but can be loosely similar. For example, people might
> have obligations to their employers not to disclose full details of
> code developed while an employee or wish to keep original algorithms
> veiled until they have been published.
>
> FWIW, all the Mata code I ever make public is fully explicit but I
> imply no criticism of anyone who is obliged to, or chooses to, work
> otherwise.
>
> In short, Stata is not R. Noone ever said it was all open code.
>
> As Wittgenstein almost said in the Tractatus, whereof one does not
> want to speak, thereof one can be silent
>
> Nick
> njcoxstata@gmail.com
>
>
> On 26 November 2013 17:48, Matthieu Stigler
> <matthieu.stigler@graduateinstitute.ch> wrote:
>> Dear Nick
>>
>> Thanks for your answer! Note however that in a very similar case, the
>> function panelsetup in mlib lmatabase (see mata: mata which
>> panelsetup), it is possible to see the source code!
>> viewsource panelsetup.mata
>>
>> so it seems that while (some) functions in the STATA mlib lmatabase
>> can be accessed, functions in STATA package lmataado would be hidden?
>> That seems very weird, I can't understand why STATA developers would
>> like to hide their code?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Matthieu
>> --------------
>> Matthieu Stigler
>> Researcher
>> Centre for Finance and Development, http://graduateinstitute.ch/cfd
>>
>> THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE | GENEVA
>> Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement
>> Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
>> Tel: (+41 22) 908 59 51
>>
>>
>>
>> 2013/11/26 Nick Cox <njcoxstata@gmail.com>:
>>> No; this is not surprising. -viewsource-, as its name implies, is for
>>> viewing source code. Anything in an .mlib is object code. Regardless
>>> of whether it is visible to you, no human can make sense of it.
>>>
>>> Mata programmers aren't obliged to make their source code available
>>> and there could be good reasons not to do that.
>>>
>>> Nick
>>> njcoxstata@gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>> On 26 November 2013 15:08, Matthieu Stigler
>>> <matthieu.stigler@graduateinstitute.ch> wrote:
>>>> Hi
>>>>
>>>> I would like to see the source code of the mata function
>>>> _iv_kclass_wrk, contained in the mataado.mlib library. However, when
>>>> typing:
>>>> viewsource _iv_kclass_wrk.mata
>>>>
>>>> I get an error message. This is surprising since:
>>>> : mata which _iv_kclass_wrk
>>>>   _iv_kclass_wrk():  lmataado
>>>> : end
>>>>
>>>> confirms this function exists and is in lmataado. How is it possible
>>>> to inspect the source code? It does not look like viewsource/source
>>>> have optional arguments to precise the mlib library location?
>>>>
>>>> note this question is very similar to:
>>>> http://www.stata.com/statalist/archive/2013-01/msg01387.html
>>>>
>>>> which remained apparently unanswered?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks a lot!
>>>>
>>>> Matthieu
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