[Fwd: Re: [Techtalk] "I need to use Windows because ..."]

[Nils Philippsen]

It seems that "something in between" removed the GnuPG signature from my
post to the list casuing it not to be displayed at all, so here it is
again (unsigned). Sorry for the spam,

Nils

-----Forwarded Message-----

From: Nils Philippsen <nils at wombat.dialup.fht-esslingen.de>
To: Suzi Anvin <suzi at anvin.org>
Cc: techtalk <techtalk at linuxchix.org>
Subject: Re: [Techtalk] "I need to use Windows because ..."
Date: 11 Aug 2002 14:31:19 +0200

On Sat, 2002-08-10 at 20:09, Suzi Anvin wrote:
> 2) Data analysis tools.  I needs an SPSS (Statistical Package for the 
> social sciences) clone for linux.  Something that can do complex 
> ANOVA's, correlations on a large number of variables, hierarchical 
> regression equations, factor analysis, etc.  and spit out all the 
> numbers into a pretty presentation ready forms.  (and pretty please add 
> a scripting language that is actually useful for writing in equations 
> the program doesn't have?  please?)  I've had people ask which *excell* 
> functions I need a database program in  Linux to emulate (which means 
> they don't even have that many functions?).  LOL.  Excell has a lot of 
> stats, but it won't let you set enough parameters, and it doesn't do 
> complex multivariate stuff.  I know many students over many fields, 
> including some in mathematics and physics, that use this software to do 
> data analysis, so while it may be specialized, it isn't rare.  EVERY 
> university has a liscence for it, as far as I know.
> 
> I know this one is asking for something more specialized than the 
> average user needs, but it is something I need.  :)  I'm thinking that 
> GNUmeric looks wonderfully modular and could be used as the starting 
> point to create this.  And I'm learning C as we speak...  But I would be 
> so thrilled if it existed and I didn't even know it!

There is a project called "PSPP"
(http://www.gnu.org/software/pspp/pspp.html) which interprets SPSS
language, but apparently doesn't do all things SPSS does (yet).

> 3) turbo tax clone.  I can't afford to pay for an accountant to actually 
> write up the whole tax thingy for me, although our family taxes are 
> complex enough that we often consult with someone on the details. 
> Filing by hand would be unreasonable by now.  I know this would be a 
> VERY difficult project, especially since it changes every year.

Well, here in Germany I know of at least one tax program for Linux. I
know that doesn't help you much ;-/.

> 4) still struggling with general laptop peripheral issues.  Linux laptop 
> and USB support sucks.  Sorry, it just does.  I am having trouble with 
> scanner support, camera support (had trouble getting Gphoto2 to install, 
> *sigh*), reading flash cards (it simply doesn't recognise them), CD 
> drive support for things like rescue CD's (*big sigh*) and have yet to 
> play with the palm pilot software but I worry about that too...  I can't 
> leave my USB CD drive plugged in for the constant stream of packets it 
> sends back and forth with the OS, which slows the machine to a crawl, etc