Econometric Software: Characteristics, Users, and Developers

Abstract

As the title indicates, this chapter takes as its major themes three aspects of econometric software, namely its characteristics, its users, and its developers. What it is, as a manifestation of its characteristics, is obviously quite relevant to this study as a whole, but so also are those who use it, how it is used, and by whom it has been created and developed. The users and developers of any type of software are clearly each formative influences, as may also be the particular way it is used, since collectively these circumstances shape and possibly explain its characteristics. Of course, to a degree, these are separable topics, or at the very least they are topics that can be considered progressively, beginning with the general characteristics of this software.