Re: [Gretl-devel] Signalling

Hello all, As one of the new users you would like to recruit, I would like to add some feed back on this topic. First, let me season my comments by saying that I went from skeptic to fanatic in about a month. Gretl is simply one of the best packages available (pay or free). If the goal is to make Gretl more popular, then more time needs to be focussed on usability. Even if that comes at the short-term expense of developing new capabilities. First, the GUI, whether you stick to the menus or are a coder, is your first impression of the software. And the GUI really understates this "grader" of Gretl. I would love to see a more integrated GUI with docked windows like STATA or Matlab. Second, the documentation. While the user guid is a good start, parts are incomplete and I have thus found myself asking simple question on the email forum. (Thank you for graciously putting up with me as I am learning). Also, why is there a function reference and a command reference? I am continuously looking thing up twice because I do not know if I need a function or a command. Simply combining these documents in some way that makes sense would be helpful. What I would love to see is that 1. The user guid and help files be put in HTML so that like STATA I can Google a method and quickly find a help file, e.g. googling "Gretl ols" returns a help page on running ols in Gretl. 2. The email forum is good, but there are several forum type q&a projects that would (i) be easier for new users to search and access and (ii) show up in search engine results. This would require manually coping content to the new forum, but that is something new comers like me could contribute to the community. (I know this is a topic that has been raised before, but I think it is very worth consideration). 3. More video tutorials of basic GUI functionality. This would (i) make adoption in stats courses easer and (ii) increase search engine visibility. (Note: I am planning on making a series of tutorial for an MBA course I teach.) Finally, I think citing the use of Gretl should be at least strongly suggested in exchange for using the package, similar to Ox. Cheers, Logan -- Logan J. Kelly, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Economics Director, UWRF Center for Economic Research http://www.uwrf.edu/cer 23 D South Hall College of Business and Economics University of Wisconsin - River Falls 410 S. Third Street River Falls, WI 54022-5001