Your verification ID is: guDlT7MCuIOFFHSbB3jPFN5QLaQ Big Computing: Looking for a free statisitical software?

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Looking for a free statisitical software?

I have been following a Linkedin discussion for a couple of weeks on what open source analytical software to use for a company with little money. I put up a recommendation for R, but it was really was wild to see the range of suggestions. One was just to use SAS because it really was not that expensive when you considered what you got. Others recommended R, Rattle, Knime, and a whole bunch that I have never even heard of.  Overall a very entertaining discussion, but I an not sure it provided any real benefit for the person who posed the question. I will be the first to admit I have an R basis so my knee jerk reaction to the question was to reply R without fully understanding this guys needs. Therefore, another solution might be superior to R in his particular case.

One person responded with a link to The Impoverished Social Scientist's Guide to Free Statisticial Software and Resources by Professor Micab Altman of Harvard. First what a great title! Second what a fine resource. Yes it is a little dated with a last update in 2008, but I think it is still pretty on target even three years later. So if you are an Impoverished Social Scientist take a look. If you are simply a person wondering what open source tools are available to address you needs this is a good place to start.

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