computer science

SYSTAT (statistics package)

SYSTAT (statistics package) is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand SYSTAT (statistics package) rather than just read about it. In short: SYSTAT is a graphical statistical software package. It was one of the earliest statistical software ever to be ported for personal computers.

Key takeaways

SYSTAT (statistics package) belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect SYSTAT (statistics package) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of SYSTAT (statistics package) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

SYSTAT is a graphical statistical software package. It was one of the earliest statistical software ever to be ported for personal computers. It was originally developed by Leland Wilkinson in the late 1970s, who was at the time an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago. Wilkinson based SYSTAT loosely off of a statistical software application developed by the SAS Institute for mainframe computers. He developed the base algorithms starting in the late 1970s and delivered the first version of the software on CP/M for the Cromemco Z-2 in 1980. In order to market SYSTAT, Wilkinson and his wife Ruth Van Demark incorporated Systat Software Inc. in Chicago, Illinois, in 1983. The company eventually grew to over 50 employees. After the decline of CP/M, the company ported SYSTAT to PC DOS in 1984. It was ported to the Macintosh in 1986 and Windows in 1992. In 1995, SYSTAT was sold to SPSS Inc., who marketed the product to a scientific audience under the SPSS Science division. By 2002, SPSS had changed its focus to business analytics and decided to sell SYSTAT to Cranes Software in Bangalore, India. Cranes formed Systat Software, Inc. to market and distribute SYSTAT in the US, and a number of other divisions for global distribution. The headquarters are in San Jose. By 2005, SYSTAT was in its eleventh version having a revamped codebase completely changed from Fortran into C++. Version 13 came out in 2009, with improvements in the user interface and several new features. On January 15, 2024, SYSTAT was transferred to Grafiti LLC.

See also Comparison of statistical packages PeakFit TableCurve 2D TableCurve 3D

References

Further reading Stein, Philip G.; Matey, James R.; Pitts, Karen (1997). "A Review of Statistical Software for the Apple Macintosh". The American Statistician. 51 (1): 67–82. doi:10.1080/00031305.1997.10473593.

External links SYSTAT The story of SYSTAT as told by Wilkinson

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with SYSTAT (statistics package)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what SYSTAT (statistics package) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to SYSTAT (statistics package) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about SYSTAT (statistics package) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of SYSTAT (statistics package)

In research: SYSTAT (statistics package) appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses SYSTAT (statistics package) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: SYSTAT (statistics package) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Classic Mac OS software, Cross-platform software, DOS software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for SYSTAT (statistics package) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study SYSTAT (statistics package) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what SYSTAT (statistics package) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain SYSTAT (statistics package) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is SYSTAT (statistics package) in simple terms?

SYSTAT is a graphical statistical software package. It was one of the earliest statistical software ever to be ported for personal computers.

Why does SYSTAT (statistics package) matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study SYSTAT (statistics package)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on SYSTAT (statistics package).