Re: [Gretl-users] Bug
On Tue, 8 Dec 2009, Talha Yalta wrote:
> If I write c = 5 I would expect c to be defined by what is on
the
> right hand side of the expression and this is a scalar. 5*const is a
> series and therefore c=5*constant defines c to be a (series).
Thank you. This makes sense. But what also makes sense to me is that
|Add|Define new variable| expects the user to enter a functional
relation such as y=3+2x where x is a variable. So logic dictates (at
least to me) that y=3 is a horizontal line, not a single point.
I rest my case.
Talha
Hang on a second. As I said, I'm not particularly interested in arguing
intricate points on what is "best" in a GUI interface (it's simply
something I don't have a passion for, sorry). But this is way over the
top.
Talha, you say "|Add|Define new variable| expects the user to enter a
functional relation such as y=3+2x where x is a variable" as if this is
obvious. Well, it isn't. And don't try to convince me that it is, because
it isn't to me (hence it isn't, full stop).
The point I'm trying to make here is that what we see as obvious is the
outcome of an infinite set of prior beliefs, preferences, a priori ideas
each of us has deeply ingrained in our minds. You should realise that
maybe other people have a different taste (so what is "clearly" better for
you may not be for someone else) and/or different priorities. On the
present case: I _personally_ think that the phrase "Define new variable"
in the context of an econometric package means "define a new container
(short for 'a certain subset of my RAM') and fill it with appropriate
values". Maybe my mind works this way because of my computer upbringing,
maybe I'm just nuts, but I'd never think of a "functional relation".
Would
you think of a "functional relation" if you had encountered the phrase
"Define new variable" in octave? or in R? Why should gretl be different?
Just because _you_ like to think that the outcome of this operation is
something that will eventually be represented on the vertical axis of a
Cartesian plane? Not enough to me, sorry.
(pause)
Ok.
(breathes)
Sorry for the rant. I'm back in spectator mode.
Riccardo (Jack) Lucchetti
Dipartimento di Economia
Università Politecnica delle Marche
r.lucchetti(a)univpm.it
http://www.econ.univpm.it/lucchetti