Evaluation of statistical program packages

Abstract

I enjoyed and agree with the article on peer review of computing materials by Roberta Ash, Francis Sim, and Ronald Anderson in the last issue of the SIGSOC Bulletin. I am writing to report that a project to sponsor, collect, and publish reviews of statistical Computing software has recently begun under the auspices of the Statistical Computing Section of the American Statistical Association. The committee doing this work is chaired by Ivor Francis (358 Ives Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850) and Richard Heiberger (Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Penn. 19104). They have issued a preliminary proposal of specific criteria for use by reviewers which I have summarized below. I will be chairing a liaison committee to facilitate communication between this group and SIGSOC. Readers with ideas and suggestions are urged to send them to me or to either of the co-chairmen.