> Miland Joshi asked:
>
> > Many authors of papers or speakers at seminars will
> > talk about a pioneering Statistical method and say in passing that
> > while no standard package can handle it at present, 'this can easily
> > be implemented on the computer'
which is partially true, but ignores most of the rules of computer
science. The first point is that almost all algebraic formulae, while
exactly true as algebra, break down when implemented on a finite machine.
The second is that almost all computer programs require far more effort
on the input/output than on the processing. A ball-park figure might be
30% on input, 10% processing, 60% on output. The "pioneering statistical
method" is, presumably, demonstrated with an example and happens to work
well with that example. If released for general use, it has to recognise
when it may be appropriate (or NOT), detect extreme cases or
computational failures, and proof against imcompetence if not malicious
misuse. Computer programming is as easy as climbing a cliff - you just
keep moving up 'til you reach the top.
With that proviso, I'll add Stata to the list of "high-level" systems in
which novel techniques can be implemented. Or to answer the question as
posed, the Stata manual describes the language features and the Stata
Corp run distance-learning classes over the Web.
R. Allan Reese Email: [log in to unmask]
Associate Manager Direct voice: +44 1482 466845
Graduate Research Institute Voice messages: +44 1482 466844
Hull University, Hull HU6 7RX, UK. Fax: +44 1482 466846
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