At 09:08 AM 12/15/99 -0800, Robert Herdegen wrote:
>computer lab, with the aid of a modest grant. We have money to buy new
>computers, furniture, statistics software, and graphics software. We have
>all the hardware under control, and have decided on SPSS as the stat
>package. But we're at a decision point about a graphics package.
I'm assuming this means that the graphs produced in SPSS aren't sufficient
for your needs. For me, the graphs in SPSS v8 to v10 do about everything I
need. SPSS version 6.1 (the last version for the Mac) was still using the
ASCII based graphics, but the newer versions of SPSS produce more
professional looking graphs and tables, especially if you play around and
don't just use the default chart and table settings.
So, assuming you do need an actual graphics program, SigmaPlot is (in my
opinion) one of the best I've found for statistical charts and graphs, but
it is expensive. Other choices to consider would be Lotus FreeLance
Graphics and Harvard Graphics (if that one still exists out there
someplace). If the charts in SPSS v8 to v10 don't meet your needs, my guess
is that charts in Excel (or any other spreadsheet program) probably won't
either.
As for statistica... I'll give my personal impressions of list to anyone
who asks, but let's just say I would stick with SPSS.
Hope this helps...
- Marc
G. Marc Turner, MEd
Lecturer & Head of Computer Operations
Department of Psychology
Southwest Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 78666
phone: (512)245-2526
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
