Comparison of data analysis packages

I came across this post comparing R, Matlab, SciPy, SAS, SPSS, Stata and biologists’ greatest tool Excel, and thought you would find it useful. Also, please read this comment comparing Matlab, octave and R. Quoting the author, “On a sort of analogy, working with Matlab/octave could be likened to working on an older (non-electronic) car: so long as you have good mechanical sense, are handy with a few tools, and are prepared to undo a lot of nuts and bolts, it is straightfoward though possibly tedious.

Working with R is sometimes more like neurosurgery: you have to become aware of the existence of the particular structure you need to deal with, where to locate it, and what its function is in relation to other structures; and, when you have finally reached it, you may need to handle it with delicacy and finesse!” Congratulations to all would be neurosurgeons.