Affiliations: [a] Department of Economics, College of Business
Administration, University of Illinois at Chicago, 601 South Morgan Street, Room
2103, Chicago, IL 60607-7121, USA. E-mail: hhstokes@uic.edu
| 601 West 113th Street, #12G, New York, NY 10025, USA. E-mail:
cgrenfro@modler.com
Abstract: In the last 30 years, changes in operating systems, computer hardware, compiler
technology and the needs of research in applied econometrics have all influenced
econometric software development and the environment of statistical computing.
The evolution of various representative software systems, including B34S®
developed by the author, are used to illustrate differences in software design
and the interrelation of a number of factors that influenced these choices. A
list of desired econometric software features, software design goals and
econometric programming language characteristics are suggested. It is stressed
that there is no one "ideal" software system that will work effectively in all
situations. System integration of statistical software provides a means by which
capability can be leveraged.
