SPSS - a tool or a god?
I am working on a project that deals with a series of figures and calculations. My responsibility is to write a program to automate those calculations into a simple user interface. One of the lessons I learned from this project is that some people used computers as excuses.
The project is divided into 2 parts: research and computer system development. A group of team members, statisticians, develop a methodology with some tedious calculations; it is not difficult or complex, but TEDIOUS!. During the computer system development, I was asked to changed the calculation details in every meeting.
They tested their calculations with SPSS, a statistical software package. There was one time I asked how to derive a figure from missing-value inputs, I got an unbelievable answer,
"I don't know. That's what I got from SPSS."
Oh yeah? No scientific explanation for how to obtain a value from missing-value variables, but metaphysics. I am not blaming their expertises, but their attitude toward getting around problems is really stupid. So, having SPSS there can be a shield to hide their ignorance.
Now, it is almost the end of the project. I got a complaint about missed calculation compared to SPSS again. Well, I don't believe it. If I am wrong, all results from the same calculation must be wrong, not for just one or two exceptional cases. So I manually calculated that alleged missed calculation and it turned out that I was RIGHT!
Hey, SPSS! It's not your fault. The fault is people who use you. They are too stupid to realise that computer is a tool, not a gardian or a god!
I wish SPSS would have an error message like
"Invalid state-of-mind user, you should go to hell and die."
I am not sure if they would really go to hell and die as their god commands?
The project is divided into 2 parts: research and computer system development. A group of team members, statisticians, develop a methodology with some tedious calculations; it is not difficult or complex, but TEDIOUS!. During the computer system development, I was asked to changed the calculation details in every meeting.
They tested their calculations with SPSS, a statistical software package. There was one time I asked how to derive a figure from missing-value inputs, I got an unbelievable answer,
"I don't know. That's what I got from SPSS."
Oh yeah? No scientific explanation for how to obtain a value from missing-value variables, but metaphysics. I am not blaming their expertises, but their attitude toward getting around problems is really stupid. So, having SPSS there can be a shield to hide their ignorance.
Now, it is almost the end of the project. I got a complaint about missed calculation compared to SPSS again. Well, I don't believe it. If I am wrong, all results from the same calculation must be wrong, not for just one or two exceptional cases. So I manually calculated that alleged missed calculation and it turned out that I was RIGHT!
Hey, SPSS! It's not your fault. The fault is people who use you. They are too stupid to realise that computer is a tool, not a gardian or a god!
I wish SPSS would have an error message like
"Invalid state-of-mind user, you should go to hell and die."
I am not sure if they would really go to hell and die as their god commands?
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