SAS

Description:  A programming language;

Value:  Very powerful program.  Best for handling massive data sets.  Is widely used because it is so flexible and can be used for almost any statistical procedure.  It has canned procedures or can be programmed to handle specific statistical problems.

Disadvantages:   Since it is a programming language, it is not really designed for out-of-the box (point-and-click) use.

Availability:  -through the Economics Department.

STATA

Description: 

Value:  Has many canned features which you don’t have to program.  Has a lot of modern techniques built in. 

Disadvantages:  Easy to use, but the trade off is that it’s somewhat rigid.  (You can do some programming with it but it’s not that easy to do.)

Availability:  -through the Economics Department.

GAUSS

Description:  

Value:  Can do anything.  Has maximum flexibility.  Powerful.

Disadvantages:  Requires quite a bit of programming; need a manual to use it.

Availability:  -the Economics Department is considering purchasing the newest version.

SPSS

Description: 

Value:  Very easy to use.  Most useful to those in the social sciences.  Popular among sociologists.

Disadvantages:  Not specialized to econometrics.

Availability:  -can be purchased at the bookstore; possibly on-line.

Minitab

Description:  produced by Penn. State.

Value:  Very easy to use; has all the features you would use in Econometrics.  Good for undergraduate teaching purposes.

Disadvantages:  A bit limited; doesn’t have all the time-series techniques that you might want to use.

Availability:  -30-day trial copy can be downloaded from internet.

LIMDEP

Description:  Like SAS and STATA, is a programming language.  Does pretty much anything like STATA.  Was initially a limited dependent variable program and now has expanded capabilities.

Value:  Is not as flexible as a general program like SAS, but useful for specific statistical problems.

Availability:  -buy your own

RATS

Description:  Regression Analysis of Time Series.

Value:  A canned programming language like SAS and STATA  with an emphasis on time series techniques. 

Availability:  buy your own