The following post by David Smith to this list prompts what seems to be an
obvious question:
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-----Original Message-----
From: David M Smith [mailto:dsmith@insightful.com]
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 1:01 PM
To: s-news@wubios.wustl.edu
Cc: P.J.Wells@open.ac.uk
Subject: Re: [S] Estimating distributions
The EnvironmentalStats module for S-PLUS has capabilities for estimating
parameters from a wide variety of distributions, using methods including MLE
and Method of Moments. For example, it adds a function "enorm" (e is for
"estimate") to dnorm, rnorm, etc., and similar functions for other
distributions in S-PLUS and more besides.
Despite the name, EnvironmentalStats is useful in just about all areas of
statistics.
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If this is the case, why isn't this functionality already in S-Plus? Is it
sensible marketing to say: "We have additional features that almost all
users would find useful but which you must pay extra for?" I would have
thought that "basic" features of interest to almost all users would be in
the base product. Special modules with special features for subsets of users
would be extra-cost add-ons.
(Disclaimer: Personal opinion only that does not in any way reflect the
views of my company or my colleagues).
Bert Gunter
mailto: bert_gunter@merck.com
"The business of the statistician is to catalyze the scientific learning
process." -- George E.P. Box
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