The view from the inside opens with an essay by Bill Gould, Stata’s president and cofounder, that discusses the challenges and concepts that guided the design and implementation of Stata. This is followed by an interview of Bill by Joe Newton that discusses Bill’s early interest in computing, his early work on a program for matching prom dates in the days when you had to purchase time on computers, and further exploration of the guiding principles behind Stata. Finally, Sean Becketti, Stata’s first employee, delves into the not-to-be-missed culture of Stata in its infancy.
The view from the outside comprises 14 essays by prominent researchers and members of the Stata community. Most discuss Stata’s use and evolution in disciplines such as behavioral sciences, business, economics, epidemiology, time series, political science, public health, public policy, veterinary epidemiology, and statistics. Some take a sweeping overview. Others are more intimate personal recollections.
Mostly, we simply wanted to celebrate the relationship between Stata users and Stata software. We hope that this volume holds something interesting for everyone.
Preface
I A VISION FROM INSIDE
1. INITIAL THOUGHTS
W. Gould
2. A CONVERSATION WITH WILLIAM GOULD
H.J. Newton
Beginnings of Stata
Learning computing skills
The CRC
The arrival of Bill Rogers on the scene
The birth of ado-files
The move to Texas
How new Stata features happen
The Stata Journal
Modern StataCorp
3. IN AT THE CREATION
S. Becketti
II A VISION FROM OUTSIDE
4. THEN AND NOW
S. Becketti
Introduction
Stata, then and now
Time-series analysis, then and now
Rocket science, then and now
Plus ça change
About the author
5. 25 YEARS OF STATISTICS WITH STATA
L. Hamilton
Introduction
A brief history
Examples in Statistics with Stata
Future editions
About the author
6. STATA’S CONTRIBUTION TO EPIDEMIOLOGY
S. J. W. Evans and P. Royston
Introduction
Epidemiology and Stata
The future
About the authors
7. THE EVOLUTION OF VETERINARY EPIDEMIOLOGY
I. R. Dohoo
History of veterinary epidemiology
Development of quantitative veterinary epidemiology
Distinctive aspects of veterinary epidemiology
Use of Stata in veterinary epidemiology
About the author
8. ON LEARNING INTRODUCTORY BIOSTATISTICS AND STATA
M. Pagano
Introduction
Teaching the course
Variability
Inference
Probability
Data quality
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
About the author
9. STATA AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN OHIO
T. Sahr
Introduction
Stata distributed to Ohio counties
Local public health analytical personnel disparity
Training partnership with Stata
Scope of trainings partnership
Impact of the trainings
Future goals
About the author
10. STATISTICS RESEARCH AND STATA IN MY LIFE
P. A. Lachenbruch
Introduction
My career using Stata
About the author
11. PUBLIC POLICY AND STATA
S. P. Jenkins
Introduction
The credibility revolution in public policy analysis
A broader view of what counts as valuable public policy analysis
What is it about Stata?
Acknowledgments
About the author
12. MICROECONOMETRICS AND STATA OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A. C. Cameron
Introduction
Regression and Stata
Empirical research and Stata
About the author
13. STATA ENABLING STATE-OH-THE-ART RESEARCH IN ACCOUNTING, BUSINESS, AND FINANCE
D. Christodoulou
Introduction
Data on software citations and impact
Earning market share
Stata 7
Interface and code overhaul
Longitudinal panel-data analysis
Time-series analysis
Other key methods
Wishes and grumbles
Conclusion
About the author
Appendix
14. STATA AND POLITICAL SCIENCE
G. D. Whitten and C. Wimpy
Introduction
Acknowledgment
About the authors
15. NEW TOOLS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCHERS
S. Soldz
Introduction
Choosing Stata
About the author
16. HISTORY OF STATA
N. J. Cox
Introduction
Californian creation
Texan transpose
Onwards and upwards
Pervasive principles
Acknowledgments
About the author
