[R] R vs SPSS

[Jim Lemon]

As I started out using SPSS when there was no GUI (in fact, no interactive 
interface at all), I automatically open up the syntax editing window when I 
have to use it. It's a workable text editor, you can run all or part of the 
code at will, and build up a code file in much the same way as R.

On the other hand, it does encourage the user who has not taken Pope to heart 
("A little learning...") to put their data through a high-powered analysis 
while convincing themselves that they know what they are doing. I confess to 
having done it more than once in the past. It was when I began reviewing 
other researcher's papers, and thinking 'This guy didn't know what he was 
doing.' and then, 'And you've done it too, brother.' that I resolved to be 
more circumspect.

Jim