Exploratory Data Analysis with Data Desk (Q1297839)

Concept and principal features of the statistical software DataDesk are described. The objects in DataDesk (data, graphs, comments, formulae) are represented by icons on the desktop. There can be links of different types between the objects: cold links (changes in one output do not affect others), warm links (changes propagate on demand), hot links (automatic propagation of changes). Derived variables are hot-linked to their source variables and so can be graphs (dotplots, boxplots, scatterplots, histograms, barcharts, etc.). Parameters can be controlled by sliders, selection of points can be done by pointers, dragboxes, etc. DataDesk uses a visual programming language and templates which provide extendibility of the system.