[Blindmath] Question about Minitab

[Michael Whapples]

OK, yes I guessed your first answer. I think my question would have been better as "how easy is it to do SPC with R", of course R probably can do it its just how simple does it make it?

I will take a look at the link you gave as well.

Michael Whapples
On 24 Oct 2011, at 22:31, Jonathan Godfrey wrote:

> Hi Michael,
> 
> R can do anything. Did you expect me to say anything different?
> 
> The add on package known as qcc will do all that is required in most
> introductory courses.
> 
> You could see how this is done by going to the series of web pages I wrote
> this semester for our third year course which includes four weeks of  SPC.
> It will go further than your course will but don't let that scare you!
> 
> Go to:
> http://r-resources.massey.ac.nz/161325examples/front.html
> 
> You probably want to look at sections 3.4 3.7, and 3.8.
> 
> Please note that these are examples that supplement course material so the
> detail may be patchy.
> 
> Jonathan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Michael Whapples
> Sent: Tuesday, 25 October 2011 10:18 a.m.
> To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Question about Minitab
> 
> Hello,
> Could you tell me whether R is any good for SPC? This is the only bit where
> excel will not be enough for my course and I have been advised to avoid it
> if possible and for the little bit of SPC I may not be able to avoid then
> may be just get sighted assistance for using minitab. In some ways if R will
> be suitable then R might be better as then I can do the work when I want and
> I need not avoid SPC unless I feel I want to.
> 
> Michael whapples
> On 24 Oct 2011, at 22:02, Jonathan Godfrey wrote:
> 
>> Hello,
>> 
>> Michael is correct in that the current version of Minitab is not as 
>> friendly as previous versions.
>> 
>> I have used Minitab from version 8 (under DOS) to 16 and over that 
>> time (17
>> years) things have got worse.
>> 
>> The dialogue boxes and menus are an absolute nightmare for the new 
>> user. I can get by because I remember the menus from previous 
>> versions. Having said that, I do not choose to use Minitab for 
>> anything except talking my students through things so I'm not actually
> touching it, they are.
>> 
>> The command language of Minitab is usable with jaws or nvda. The 
>> language is far from natural and the resources for such commands are 
>> mostly old (dating back to the DOS version where we all typed commands 
>> out). Most staff working with Minitab do not know the syntax even 
>> though it is automatically generated as the dialogue boxes are used.
>> 
>> 
>> The number of outputs that have been altered from text to graphic in 
>> Minitab is on the rise too. There were ways of generating ASCII 
>> graphics for most things in the past, but this art has been lost in more
> recent versions.
>> 
>> Should you want an alternative that is superior to EXCEL, I could 
>> recommend R. See http://r-resources.massey.ac.nz to see what sort of 
>> support I offer blind R users.
>> 
>> I'll put some Excel comments in the reply to Michael.
>> 
>> Jonathan
>> 
>> 
>> 
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