Re: [Gretl-devel] send dataset via email
On Sun, 7 Nov 2010, Sven Schreiber wrote:
this may not be terribly important, but I am wondering about the
justification of the menu entry 'File / Send to...', which seems
to send the current dataset/workfile via email.
Isn't it strange that an econometrics program sends email? I
would guess this is a legacy feature, does anybody really use
it?
Well, I use it from time to time, and don't regard it as a legacy
feature.
I mean it's obvious that people send around gretl files by
email, but there are specialized programs for that. The same
argument is behind the fact that requests for more spreadsheet
functionality in gretl have been repeatedly (and rightly)
rejected.
Gretl doesn't implement a mail program from scratch; it just
provides a "convenience" interface to the system mailer. This is
quite common in software that deals with data that users might
want to share -- for example, gnumeric has a "Send to" feature
(along with several Microsoft programs).
Or if you keep it, why not be able to send session files (.gretl),
possibly among other formats?
You can also send scripts (the "letter" icon in the script editing
window); I think having this facility for scripts and data files
is enough.
Allin