Is there a recommended statistical software package?
In all of our years of using statistical software packages, we have never found the “best” package. Most experienced users have settled on a specific program based on their “ease of use” in understanding the program’s commands and conventions rather than statistical superiority. Each of the major statistical programs (SPSS and SAS) each have their advantages and disadvantages in terms of ease of use, the “learning curve” for new users, etc. Moreover, so many programs have incorporated multivariate techniques (see Software listing in the Online Resources section) that almost all analyses can be performed by most programs.
